Casarecce Pasta With Pesto And Lobster Tail

Introduction
Some people's idea of a perfect "Happy Birthday to Me" kind of treat is to buy themselves a new pair of shoes.

Ours is to eat lobster.

If we're completely honest, on the rare occasion we land ourselves some fresh lobster tails, we just want to eat them in their full, unadulterated glory with little more than some crusty bread and brown butter. Once in a blue moon, though, we get the urge to pair lobster with pasta and pesto.

Our pasta of choice for this recipe is casarecce, which hails from Sicily. Known for looking like little rolled-up scrolls, it's a brilliant shape for attracting and holding onto sauces. Try to hunt down casarecce that has been extruded through a bronze die, as that means the pasta will have a rough texture, which helps sauces stick to it.

Pro tip
Most pasta dishes with lobster instruct you to chop the tails into bite-sized chunks, but we much prefer keeping them whole for maximum theatre.

Ingredients for two

Method
Getting a perfectly cooked lobster tail for this recipe may require lots or little preparation. We won't give instructions for all the different ways you can acquire the tail meat (live, cooked, fresh or frozen) but there are plenty of tutorials online showing how to break down a lobster.

Simply cook your pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. When perfectly al-dente, drain, but reserve about a tablespoon of the starchy water.

Place the pasta in a bowl and stir through the pesto. When well combined, add the reserved water and Parmesan and stir again.

Dish up, and garnish with capers, lemon zest, and cress, if using. Pop the lobster tail on top and tuck into one of the most decadent pasta dishes known to Man.