Perciatelli with Lobster
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Shellfish
Season: Any
Difficulty: Labor Intensive

This Sicilian dish inspired by the cooking of the monzù, the French-trained chefs of the nineteenth-century Sicilian aristocracy (from the French word monsieur) is a dish I had an opportunity to make once for my friend and fellow cookbook author Deborah Madison and her husband Patrick .  All of us were a little down at the time for reasons I no longer remember, and to relieve some of our depression we decided to make an extravagant dinner.  I prepared this perciatelli con aragosta and served it with spinaci al burro (spinach with butter) and Deborah loved it as it was very rich tasting and perfect for our mood.  Perciatelli is a thick spaghetti with a little hole in the middle and also goes by the name bucatini.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 2 hours

Two 1 1/2-pound live lobsters

6 garlic cloves, 1 mashed, 5 very finely chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, very finely chopped

3 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

3 dried red chiles

1 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons cognac

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup lobster stock (see method)

1 pound perciatelli (bucatini)

1. In a large stock pot, add enough water to cover about an inch of the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then place the live lobsters in the pot and steam the lobsters until cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.  Drain and when the lobsters are cool enough to handle split from head to tail with a heavy cleaver or heavy chef’s knife, then remove all the meat from all parts and reserve in a ceramic bowl.  With a spoon remove the tomalley and coral from the body and place in a mortar along with the mashed garlic clove.  Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil over the lobster meat and 1 chopped garlic.  Reserve until needed.                                     

2. Place all the lobster shells in the stock pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer until needed.

3. In a flameproof casserole, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat, then cook the shallot, remaining garlic, parsley, and basil for 2 minutes while stirring.  Add the tomatoes and chiles and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the wine and cognac and cook until half reduced, stirring often.  Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pound the garlic and tomalley together until it a green creamy consistency.  Add to the sauce and mix well.  Taste and check the seasoning of the sauce.  Strain the lobster broth, reserve a cup and save the rest for another purpose.

5. Cook the sauce for 45 minutes moistening with the lobster broth a 1/4 cup at a time until it reduces and the sauce thickens and you use up the whole cup of lobster broth.  Add the lobster pieces and cook for 10 more minutes.

6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.  Drain without rinsing.  Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and toss with the sauce and serve.

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Posted: 12/22/2006