Jul 14 2026
Restaurants5Church BuckheadCrab & Calabrian Chili Bigoli Recipe

Crab & Calabrian Chili Bigoli Recipe

Inspired by 5Church Buckhead
Time1h
Serves4

squid ink bigoli pasta, dungeness crab, roasted crab stock, calabrian chili bomba, garlic, parsley, lemon, parmesan butter, extra virgin olive oil

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Ingredients

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Pasta

Crab Stock

Method

Crab Stock Preparation

  1. 1

    Prepare the Crab Stock

    In a large pot, combine the whole Dungeness crabs with 2000 ml of water, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, and parsley stems. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove crabs and set aside to cool.

Pasta Cooking

  1. 2

    Cook the Pasta

    In a separate large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the squid ink bigoli pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, typically around 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Crab Preparation

  1. 3

    Prepare the Crab Meat

    Once the crabs are cooled, crack the shells and remove the meat. Discard the shells and set the crab meat aside.

Sauce Assembly

  1. 4

    Make the Sauce

    In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of Calabrian chili bomba and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the reserved crab stock (you may use the entire stock or adjust to your preference) and bring to a simmer.

  2. 5

    Combine Pasta and Crab

    Add the cooked bigoli pasta and crab meat to the skillet. Toss everything together to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve the desired sauce consistency.

  3. 6

    Finish the Dish

    Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, grated parmesan, and chopped parsley. Mix well and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

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