Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
If you want to impress and get a little fancy and sophisticated, then this gorgeous Prawn and Chorizo Pasta is for you!
Ingredients
- ½ cup light olive oil (or mild)
- 150 gm Spanish chorizo (NOTE 1)
- 300 gm dried fettuccine (or pasta of choice)
- 500 gm raw prawns with shell (NOTE 2)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 French shallots (eschalot or shallot, finely diced) (NOTE 3)
- ½ cup passata (NOTE 4)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup Kalamata olives
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- zest from 1 lemon (finely grated)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp crispy chilli (optional) (NOTE 5)
Optional toppings and garnish
- finely chopped parsley
- fennel fronds
- grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- For the chorizo crumbs - Place the chorizo in a food processor and blitz until it resembles minced (ground) meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large deep frying pan on medium-high heat, then add in the chorizo. Fry the chorizo for 3 to 5 minutes and stir occasionally until it's darker, and the fat has rendered. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to remove the chorizo from the pan and onto a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside for later, the chorizo will crisp up as they cool.
- Cook the pasta - Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packet but make sure not to overcook it. The pasta should be a little firm when bitten (al dente). Scoop half a cup of pasta water and set aside, then drain the pasta using a colander. Rinse the pasta with cold water and set it aside in the colander for later.
- Heat another 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan on medium-high heat (there's no need to clean the pan or remove the old oil). Cook the prawns for a minute on each side or until they are opaque and turn orange. Place the prawns on a plate and cover with foil and set aside.
- Pour the remaining oil into the same pan over medium-high heat. Add in the prawn heads and stir-fry for a minute, then remove and discard them, leaving just the oil. Place the garlic and shallots into the oil and stir quickly for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add in the passata, peas, olives, sugar and stir to combine for two minutes.
- Add in the pasta, prawns and HALF of the chorizo crumbs into the pan. Stir to combine and cook until the pasta has heated through. Pour in a few tablespoons of pasta water to loosen up the pasta. Add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, chilli crisp (if using) and stir to combine. Have a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Give it a final stir and plate up. Top and garnish the pasta with the remaining chorizo and any optional topping. Serve immediately.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Chorizo - Mexico and Spain have their own version of chorizos, raw and cured. Cured Spanish chorizo is easier to find here, so I used this variety. In saying that, there is better quality and tasting chorizo in specialised delis. Supermarkets stock cured Spanish chorizo near the chilled bacon area.
(NOTE 2) Raw shelled prawns - I used fresh large shelled prawns that weighed approximately 500gm (18oz) in total. Already peeled fresh prawns or defrosted prawns would also work too, but you would only need 300gm (11oz). Devein and clean each prawn before using, but keep the heads.
(NOTE 3) French shallots (shallots or eschalots)- It's so confusing, right? Shallots, green onions, spring onions and other small onions. It also doesn't help that other countries call the same onions a different name! I've seen shallots called 'eschalots' or 'French shallots' here. Shallots look like small brown onions but are skinny and oval-shaped. They're difficult to peel and are way more expensive than other types of onions, and they're mild in flavour compared to onions. Brown onions will work as a substitute, but use half of the amount called for in the recipe.
(NOTE 4) Passata (pureed tomatoes) - Passata is pureed tomatoes that have been strained to form a smooth consistency. Supermarkets usually stock passata near canned tomatoes and pasta sauces. Crushed tomatoes would also work.
(NOTE 5) Chilli Crisp (optional) - I've used Chef Joey D's Chilli Crisp, which took this pasta to another level by adding heat and delicious aromatics (see my detailed review above). If you like to add spice and don't have chilli oil, add 1 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes or less.
A Third-Party Application calculated the calories and nutritional information. Please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 650kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 37gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 244mgSodium: 1457mgPotassium: 616mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 910IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 4mg