Spaghetti With Crabs

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste
• 4 large blue crabs
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. When it begins to shimmer, add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until it is fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes, crushing them by hand as you do so, as well as the parsley and red-pepper flakes.
4. Stir and allow to come to a simmer.
5. Turn the heat up to high and add the crabs.
6. When the sauce starts to boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes or so.
7. Remove the crabs to a serving bowl and cover to keep warm.
8. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
9. Add the pasta and cook until it is firm really al dente.
10. Drain.
11. Place the pasta in a large serving bowl or platter and drizzle with olive oil.
12. Pour the crab sauce over the pasta, scatter the basil leaves over the top and season aggressively with black pepper.
13. Serve with crabs on the side and lots of bread.

extravirgin olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, flatleaf, redpepper, crabs, kosher salt, fresh basil, freshly ground black pepper

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013174 (may not work)