This is a really delicious pasta dish when you want a hit of seafood in your pasta. If you can try and get the prawns with the shells on then you can make a quick prawn stock which is the key to the flavour of this dish.
Ingredients
100g Linguini
6 Gambas in their shells
1 large clove of garlic crushed
8 cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
4 anchovies chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
dash of white wine
Prawn Stock
Prawn shells
1/2 pint of water
2 tbsp Olive Oil
75mls white wine
1tbsp tomato puree
Method
Start by making the prawn stock, peel the shells of the raw prawn and put the prawn meat into a separate bowl. Heat the olive oil and add the shells and fry off for a few mins then add the tomato puree and cook off for a few mins. Then add the white wine and reduce to burn off the alcohol before adding the prawn shells. Reduce for about 8-10 minutes on high so its boiling and reducing. Strain out the prawn shells and set aside
Put your Linguini on to cook in plenty of boiling salted water. In a pan heat the olive oil before adding your garlic, anchovies and chilli flakes. Cook off for 1-2 minutes then add the tomatoes halved and cook off until they are softened and starting to get a little colour, now add the strained prawn stock and reduce for 6-8 minutes until half the volume and its starting to come together like a sauce. Now strain your pasta which should be al dente and add straight into the pan with the sauce, holding back half a ladle of pasta cooking water, toss the pasta and sauce together for a minute and heat until well mixed and the sauce is emulsified and sticking to the pasta. Serve in a bowl with a sprinkle of chopped parsley or basil and a nice drizzle of olive oil.
PS If you are cheeky like me a little sprinkle of grated parmesan also is delicious, don’t tell the Italians - they will be horrified!!