Prawn Pasta alla Buzara
Serves 4-6
•
Spaghetti, linguine or other long pasta
• 500grams raw shelled and cleaned Spencer Gulf King Prawn meat
• 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste
• 3 plump garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups of seafood stock or clam broth
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon bread crumbs, or more if needed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare the seafood and sauce.
Lay King prawn meat on a baking sheet or tray lined with paper towels. Blot until dry. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan, and set over medium high heat. Sear the prawn meat until lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes per side. Don’t cook them too long, because they will added back to the pan later. Remove and set aside.
Heat 2 more tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan, and set over medium high heat. Scatter in the shallots and garlic and cook until sizzling. Take care not to burn the garlic. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 cup of the wine. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the wine is nearly completely evaporated and the shallots have softened. Add the tomato paste and stir it around the pan for a minute, coating the shallots.
Pour in the rest of the wine, stock and another 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the sauce gently simmer and reduce for about 5 minutes. With the sauce still bubbling, add the seared seafood back to the pan and mix to coat them all with sauce. Stir in the pepper and the tablespoon of bread crumbs. If the sauce seems too thin add a little more bread crumbs. Cook for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Pour the seafood and sauce over the cooked pasta. Drizzle in the remaining olive oil and mix well. Sprinkle parsley on top and serve immediately.