Asiago and Pasta Crab Cakes

Serves 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
• ½ lb thin pasta (preferably angel hair)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup Italian parsley, finely diced
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely diced
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 10 oz Asagio cheese, grated
• 2 tsp. All-purpose flour
• ½ red or yellow pepper, finely diced
• 10 oz. good quality crab meat, picked over
• Salt & pepper
• Vegetable oil for pan frying

Directions

1. Add the butter to a medium skillet and melt over a medium high heat
2. Add the garlic and shallots and reduce the heat to medium
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook till al dente and drain
4. Once the pasta is done, so should your garlic & shallots. Transfer the shallots and garlic to a large mixing bowl and add the eggs, parsley, cilantro, and mustard. Mix well and add the pasta. Mix some more
5. Add the cheese, flour, red pepper and crab meat and mix some more
6. Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet over a medium high heat till the oil is hot but not smoking. Using your hands, scoop up some of the crab cake mixture and form a patty, just as you would do if you were making a small hamburger (about 2 inches wide and 1&1/2 inches thick). Slide the crab cake into the oil and cook for about 3 minutes a side or until crispy brown. Continue to add crab cakes to the skillet but make sure you don’t overcrowd
7. Transfer finished cakes to paper towel to drain