Pasta with Prawns in a Tomato and Basil Sauce

Pasta with Prawns in a Tomato and Basil Sauce

 

This one is so simple and easy I didn't need a recipe! It's one of my favourite things to order in restaurants in the summer, and when trying to decide what to cook one night I thought I'd give it a go. Tip: you can buy fresh prawns, but I discovered frozen raw prawns recently and they're so good and convienient that I just always keep a packet in the freezer. They defrost really quickly if you put them in a plastic bag and put them in warm (not hot) water, so they're a great thing to have around. And they taste no different to the fresh ones.

Time taken: No more than 20 minutes. Super quick!

2 year old friendly?: The pasta bit yes, he didn't like the prawns. But that's okay, you can just leave them off the plate if your young ones aren't into them. More prawns for you!

Makes 4 BIG servings or 6 smaller ones.

INGREDIENTS
About 350-400g of raw peeled prawns
1 packet of spaghetti
2 cans of good quality tinned crushed tomatoes.
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Olive oil
A handful of basil leaves, torn into shreds.
Some freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

METHOD
Put a large saucepan of water on to boil and once boling, salt the water and add the spaghetti. Cook till al-dente.
Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and onion and cook until soft.
Add the tins of tomatoes, some salt and pepper and just over half of the basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, simmering for about 5-10 minutes, until sauce reduces and thickens slightly.
While the sauce is simmering, heat a very small amount of oil in a medium fry pan. Add the prawns and cook until JUST opaque (transfer them to a bowl if sauce still cooking).
Add the prawns to the finished sauce and then immediately add the sauce to the cooked and drained pasta. Add remaining basil and stir though well.
Served sprinkled with grated parmesan.