Crab Linguine

my ex-husband's signature dish

I got married a week after my 23rd birthday to an Italian who, until a couple years before, had been my university professor. This story has, no matter how I tell it and right from the get, some glaring red flags. And things eventually proceeded as you might predict. I regret almost none of it and am grateful that I said yes to life and we all ended up where we’re meant to be. But I digress.

Because I’m here to tell you that one positive thing about being with an Italian is they will teach you a very particularly Italian way of thinking about, loving and cooking food. They’ve got rules (so many rules!) which, to an American like me, can be some combination of charming and ridiculous. But over time, I grew to appreciate the rhythm, certainty and sense of tradition around them. One of these rules that I really get behind is the ‘no cheese on seafood pasta’ rule. Like with every rule, there are a few exceptions, but this crab linguine is not one of them. This is classic stuff. And it’s delicious.

While my ex-husband didn’t have a lot of recipes up his sleeve, this was a dish he made enthusiastically and meticulously (and so, so slowly, but again, I digress). Pasta col granchio. It’s simple, honest, everyday Italian cooking. The kind of food I love and am grateful to have up my sleeve, too.