Tested and Perfected by Food and Wine
Food & Wine Recipe

Crab Salad Napoleons With Fresh Pasta

Contributed by
  • ACTIVE: 40 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 6
  • FAST

A recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, from the 2007 Classic in Aspen.

video Giada de Laurentiis: Crab Napoleons

...

  1. Eighteen 4-inch fresh pasta squares
  2. 1 cup mayonnaise
  3. 1/4 cup chopped chives, plus more for garnish
  4. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  5. Freshly ground pepper
  6. 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
  7. 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  8. Finely grated lemon zest, for garnish
  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta squares until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and cool under cold running water. Pat dry.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnnaise with the 1/4 cup of chives and the lemon juice and season with pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the crabmeat with the peas. Fold in 1/3 cup of the chive mayonnaise.
  3. Place 1 pasta square on each of 6 plates. Spread a small spoonful of the chive mayonnaise on each square and top with a scant 1/4 cup of the crab salad, spreading it to the edge of the square. Repeat the layering with another pasta square, another spoonful of mayonnaise and another scant 1/4 cup of the crab salad. Top with the final pasta square and a small dollop of chive mayonnaise. Garnish with a pinch of grated lemon zest, a pinch of chives and a sprinkle of pepper and serve.
Notes Refrigerate any leftover chive mayonnaise for later use.