EdibleDC.com SPAGHETTI AI GRANCHI

SPAGHETTI AI GRANCHI

August 25, 2014 · Edible DC

by Giacomo Abrusci

It’s crab season here in the Chesapeake Bay region, where we cover our tables with sheets of butcher’s paper and Old Bay is king all summer long. Whether you pick your crabs up from the waterfront fish markets in southwest DC or jump right into the Bay like my father and me, here’s a recipe to have seafood lovers licking their lips all day long: Spaghetti ai Granchi, or spaghetti with crab.

First clean the fresh uncooked crabs by removing the shells and washing them thoroughly — you’ll do this when they are really cold (either by storing them on ice or refrigerating them), which makes them dormant and easier to work with — then set them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to get to business.  I like leaving the tomalley— that’s the greenish goo, otherwise known as the crab’s liver and considered a delicacy, that you’ll find on the inside of the crab once you remove the shells — but this is not everyone’s style.

Start a basic marinara sauce with some olive oil, chopped onion, maybe some hot pepper, a mouthful of white wine, and some fresh crushed tomatoes. When the sauce is simmering nicely, add the crabs and let that cook uncovered on low heat for at least thirty to forty-five minutes.  Add a little more water or wine if the sauce is starting to get too thick and then add salt and pepper to taste.  Once you’re ready, move the crabs to a serving platter and cook your spaghetti until it is just al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to your sauce with a fistful of fresh parsley and serve with the crabs or as two separate courses.

A delicious alternative to our usual Old Bay steamers!  Click here to learn more about crabbing and fishing in our area.

EdibleDC.com: Italy in a Glass

ITALY IN A GLASS – MAKE YOUR OWN PESCHE AL VINO ROSSO

August 19, 2014 · Edible DC

Italy in a glass: Make-your-own Pesche al Vino Rosso After a Pick-Your-Own Trip to Homestead Farm

by Giacomo Abrusci

I just rolled back from Homestead Farm in Poolesville, MD, a mere 45 minutes from downtown DC, where every variety of peach is now at its peak. Even if you didn’t make it to Puglia, Italy this summer, you can still drink like you are there when you have a freshly-picked peck of peaches. While it’s true that southern Italy is not famous for wine-based sangria, the fruit is literally dripping off the trees there during the summer months, perfect for soaking in your favorite red wine.

My uncle Giovanni will exclusively use nectarines, while my sister Angela will usually choose the juiciest peach in the house. So grab some delicious fresh summer tree fruit and follow my lead tonight: before you start to prepare dinner, roughly chop two to three ripe pitted peaches or nectarines, drown them in a pitcher of red wine, and throw it into the fridge. Thirty minutes to an hour later — or whenever you’re ready to eat, because this fruity concoction only gets better with time — pull out your chilled wine and pour yourself a heavy glass.

Settle in and enjoy your dinner while nursing your peach-infused wine and finish off the evening with a few pieces of drunken fruit for dessert. Give it a try now while the trees are still loaded with ripe fruit, bursting with flavor!

You can visit Homestead Farm several months out of the year to pick your own produce, from spring berries to pumpkins.