Another great pasta from my daughter, Clauie. She concocted up this recipe last weekend at our seaside haven. I promised her, I would feature it on this Friday’s RHM column, as by then, she would be winging to Panama on an exchange program. My tribute to a daughter whom we will sorely miss!!!

CLAUIE’s CRAB PASTA
5 big crabs or casags (cooked and made sik-sik)
2 big white onions (chopped finely) ; 1 whole head garlic (minced finely)
1 cup white wine (leftover will do) ; 1 cup water ; 2 lemons (grate zest and extract juice)
½ stick butter (do not use margarine) ; 1 box Nestle all-purpose cream
2 teaspoons dried basil ; 1 Knorr shrimp cube ; salt & pepper (to taste) ; ½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 pack 500 gms pasta (linguine or fettuccini or angel hair; follow cooking directions)

PROCEDURE:
1.) Melt butter in a Teflon “sarten”. Sautee the garlic (do not brown) and the onions until they are translucent. Add crabmeat, basil, wine, lemon juice and water. Let this simmer gently for 10 minutes. Season with Knorr cube, a BIT of salt and pepper.
2.) Incorporate the Nestle cream into the mixture and simmer for another 3 minutes. Throw in your drained pasta and toss gently with 2 wooden spoons.
3.) Add your Parmesan cheese and lemon zest and toss lightly. At this point, turn off your fire and adjust your salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

TIPS:
- Do not put too much salt at the start of cooking. Parmesan cheese has its own salt content. Adjust nalang towards the end of cooking.
- Serve with a nicely chilled bottle of white wine. A Monkey Bay or a Riesling, perhaps?
Enjoy your Clauie’s Crab Pasta and a big hug from the Red Hot Mama!!!