Prawn Puttanesca

plated

Pasta has always been a big player with our family. Whether it was egg noodles with my mom’s beef stroganoff, weekly spaghetti, or penne experimentation with my brother on Saturday mornings—we’ve always loved it. Since it’s finally summer here on the West Coast, I thought we’d try a spin on this light, Italian classic.

The ingredient are kept simple, the prep is low, and with only two pots, clean up is a cinch. Serves four (or Jordi and me).

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
3 garlic cloves
3 anchovy fillets
1 tsp chili flakes
3/4 cup kalamata olives (or nicoise), pitted and chopped coarse
3 tsp capers, rinsed
2.5 cups cherry tomatoes
1 lb fresh prawn tails, de-veined and shelled
1 package pasta
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup pasta water, after boiling
2 Tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped coarse (optional garnish)

ingredients

Directions

1) If the prawn tales are in tact, remove the shells and de-vein them. I like to keep the tail at the end, but that’s purely a style choice. If saving time is your thing, you can usually find pre-cleaned prawn tails.

2) Pit the olives if they are not already pitted, and chop them coarse.

3) Wash the cherry tomatoes and keep them whole.

4) Mince the garlic and anchovy fillets and set aside.

6) Dice the onion, fine.

5) Add the olive oil to your heated pan, medium to medium-high depending on your stove.

6) Sauté the onions until soft. Then add your garlic, chili, and anchovies, stirring until fragrant (about 1 minute).

7) Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, and white wine. This is a good time to put your pasta water on to boil (sooner if your stove takes longer). Cook—stirring occasionally—until the sauce thickens (about 20 minutes).

8) After 10 minutes of your sauce simmering, take a wooden spoon and smash each cherry tomato once to release the juices. If you’re cooking to impress, remove the tomato skins that will separate from the tomatoes once smashed. If you want to keep it rustic, leave ’em in.

9) 5 minutes before your pasta is ready to drain, add the cup of pasta water to the sauce.

10) 2 minutes before your pasta is ready to drain, add the prawns to the sauce and cover.

11) Drain your pasta. Uncover the sauce and flip any prawns that haven’t turned that beautiful peachy orange hue. Add the pasta, give it a quick stir and you’re ready to serve!

prep
Olives, anchovies, garlic, and capers ready for action.
Add your cherry tomatoes, whole.
Add your cherry tomatoes, whole.
tomatoes 2
Crushed cherry tomatoes.
prawns in pan
Freshly added prawns.
incorporated pasta
Incorporate your pasta before serving.

 

 


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Comments

3 responses to “Prawn Puttanesca”

  1. Aldea Avatar

    Making my mouth water! This is what I am doing with my next bag of spot prawns for sure. Great photos and instructions Shannon.

  2. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Thanks, Aldea! It really was as easy as it sounds. Not a lot of prep for a really special meal.

  3. Marina Avatar

    米亚, dont think it will taste the same way, because you need to suck the sauce with shell on ,then only taste deluoicis.Happyland and Marytance, remember to use premium soy sauce,it will taste better.Emily, yes, it is really yummy.

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