This glorious red prawn spaghetti recipe from Daniele Usai is simplicity itself, using the flesh of the red prawns to create a simple tartare, and the heads to create a highly flavoured pasta sauce.
Shell the prawns and keep the heads for the sauce. Chop the meat finely with a knife and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Make 4 quenelles out of the mixture
For the sauce, sweat the spring onions with 2 of the garlic cloves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Remove the garlic, add the prawn heads and increase the heat. Brown the heads very well then add the cognac and cook until reduced
2 spring onions
2 garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
50ml of cognac
3
Add the tomato and dill and continue to simmer for about 1 hour. Cool and blitz in a blender to obtain a smooth and silky cream
500g of cherry tomatoes, halved
dill
4
Sweat the remaining 2 garlic cloves with some fresh chilli in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Remove the garlic and add the red prawn sauce to the pan
chilli, as needed (fresh)
2 garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
5
Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente – remember that spaghetti will be cooked in the pan with the sauce for the last 2 minutes so do not overcook
Mix the pasta with the sauce, add some olive oil and season with salt
extra virgin olive oil
7
Create pasta ‘nests’ using a carving fork and spoon and place onto each plate. Place the red prawn quenelles on top of the nest, sprinkle with fennel and anise and garnish with some dill
Daniele Usai has turned the sleepy seaside town of Ostia into a destination for gourmands worldwide thanks to his relaxed, simple approach to cooking local ingredients.
