Aegean Island Astakomakaronada (Αστακομακαρονάδα Αιγαίου)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •wide deep pan, 30cm
• •large pot for lobster broth
• •coarse sieve
• •kitchen shears or heavy chef's knife for splitting lobster

Instructions

1. 1

   Make Broth

   Bring 1.5 litres water and 12g salt to a boil in a wide pot. Add the lobster, cover, and cook for 8 minutes if using one 1.2kg lobster, or 6 minutes for smaller ones. Lift it out and keep the broth. When cool enough to handle, split the lobster, remove the meat from the tail and claws if present, and cut it into large pieces. Keep the shells and head juices.

   Greek spiny lobster has no big claws. If you use a cold-water lobster, the dish still works, but keep every shell piece for the broth.
2. 2

   Start Sauce

   Warm the olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes, until soft and pale gold. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, only until it smells sweet. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes so it darkens a little.

3. 3

   Build Shell Flavor

   Add the lobster shells and any head juices to the pan. Pour in the wine and let it bubble hard for 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika, red pepper flakes if using, black pepper, and 600ml of the lobster broth. Simmer uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes, pressing the shells now and then, until the sauce is glossy and tastes of the sea.

4. 4

   Strain Sauce

   Lift out the large shells, then pass the sauce through a coarse sieve if you want it smooth, pressing well. Return the sauce to the pan. Taste before adding salt, because the broth has already done some work.

5. 5

   Cook Pasta

   Bring the remaining lobster broth back to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it for 3 minutes less than the packet says. Transfer the pasta directly into the sauce with tongs, along with 250ml of the hot broth. Toss over medium heat until the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce clings to every strand. This is the heart of the dish: the pasta must drink the broth, not meet it politely at the end.

6. 6

   Finish Lobster

   Add the lobster meat and parsley to the pasta and toss gently for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the meat is warmed through. Add a spoonful more broth if the pan tightens too much. Finish with lemon juice only if the tomatoes need brightening.

7. 7

   Serve Immediately

   Pile the pasta onto a warm platter and arrange the lobster pieces on top. Spoon over any glossy sauce left in the pan. Serve at once, with no cheese. Cheese on lobster pasta is where I put the spoon down.

Chef Tips

• •Buy lobster for the shell as much as the meat. The shell is the sauce. If you can only find pre-cooked lobster meat, choose another seafood pasta instead, because the broth will be missing.
• •Fresh ripe tomatoes are best in summer. Outside the season, good canned crushed tomatoes are the honest Greek kitchen's answer, not a pale winter tomato pretending.
• •Do not overcook the lobster meat. It has already had its first cooking in the broth, so it returns to the pan only at the end. Warm it, don't punish it.
• •Serve with a sharp island white wine and a simple green salad. The pasta is rich enough. It doesn't need a parade around it.

Advance Preparation

• •The lobster broth and tomato sauce can be made up to 6 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
• •Cut the lobster meat ahead only once it has cooled, then keep it chilled and covered. Add it back at the end so it stays tender.
• •Do not cook the pasta ahead. Astakomakaronada depends on finishing the pasta in the broth and sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 510g)