Prawn Chorizo and Chilli Pasta

, from Issue #91. August, 2020
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Prawn Chorizo and Chilli Pasta

This is exactly the kind of dish I like to serve – quick, easy and packed with flavour. It has a summery feel, but enough ‘kick’ to take it into the depths of winter, and it's definitely delicious enough to share with friends. All you need to go with this is a little green salad and some good bread.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
16 medium/large raw prawns, with tails on
300 grams chorizo, angle-sliced into rounds
1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
400 grams pasta such as linguine or spaghetti
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed (amount depends on size of cloves; I like a lot of garlic, so use more)
¼ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
¼-½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons mascarpone, sour cream or crème fraîche
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
sea salt and ground pepper

METHOD

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan and cook the prawns for 1-2 minutes each side until cooked through. Remove the prawns from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the chorizo and onion together over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes. If the chorizo gives off a lot of fat, drain most of it, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta until only just al dente. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, add the garlic to the chorizo mixture and cook for 1 minute, then add the wine, paprika and chilli flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the tomatoes and mascarpone and return the prawns to the mixture, stirring to combine.

Add the pasta to the prawn and chorizo mixture, toss gently and cook a further few minutes until everything is heated through. Stir through half of the parsley. If you feel like it needs any more moisture at this point, add the reserved pasta water.

To serve: Season to taste with sea salt if desired, and serve with the remaining parsley and a good grinding of black pepper.