Paccheri pasta (a bit like bigger rigatoni) with prawns and zucchini, chef Theo Randall says, is his son Max’s favourite recipe.
Read more: Seven things you didn’t know about pasta
“If there’s any of that pasta or prawns in the house, he insists that I make it,” Mr Randall says with a laugh. “It’s one of my signature dishes at home, because it’s one thing that gets cooked an awful lot. And he’s got very good taste, because it does taste delicious!”
Serves: 2-4 as a starter
Ingredients
- 350g paccheri
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
- 2 zucchini, cut into 1cm matchsticks
- 150g Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 250g uncooked prawns, halved lengthways (frozen are fine)
- 75ml dry white wine
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Read more: Italian Eggplant Parmigiana
Method
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the paccheri and boil for two minutes less than the packet instructions, until very al dente. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Gently heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and zucchini. Cook for three minutes to soften, then add the tomatoes, parsley and halved prawns. Season with salt and pepper, add the white wine and cook on medium heat for about three minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.
Once the pasta is ready, using a slotted spoon or small sieve, transfer it to the sauce. Add a ladleful of the pasta cooking water and cook for a further two minutes, until the sauce becomes syrupy. Add the final tablespoon of olive oil and check the seasoning. The pasta should have a lovely bite to it and be coated in the sauce. Serve in warmed pasta bowls.
Read more: Why do we cook? This cookbook claims it’s about more than nutrition
The Italian Deli Cookbook by Theo Randall, photography by Lizzie Mayson, is published by Quadrille, available now.
Are you a fan of Italian food? What’s your favourite pasta dish?
– With PA
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