Cherry Tomato & Prawn Pasta

Feeds 2-4

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A peeled tomato does wonders for your self esteem. I had no idea how simple it was to blanch tomatoes - look who's learning! The way the skin peels off the tomato is undoubtedly the most satisfying thing to happen to me today. Now if I could only figure out how to turn that into an ASMR, I might end up making millions from my bedroom with a microphone and a computer. Just to be clear, you don't need to blanch the tomatoes, I just highly encourage it.

I have to check that we all unanimously agree on this - the whole chilli-garlic-wine-prawn combo is the mark of a good surf club right? I went to the gold coast and ordered moreton bay bugs for the first time in my pathetic existence - pathetic because how am I 24 and this is the first time? I mopped up this liquid gold with toasty, buttery bread like I was at a feeding trough after a drought. You want to talk about core memories - that is a core memory. Washed down with a fish-bowl-sized strawberry cocktail and a bucket of french fries - let it be noted, I used the leftover garlic chilli sauce as my french fry dipping tray. So all in all, I love this combo, it will be timeless, and I will order it time and again.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups of prawns, tails removed

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 8 cloves of garlic, sliced

• 1/2 - 1 whole red onion, thinly sliced

• 1-2 chillies, sliced

• 300 grams of spaghetti (or any pasta you like)

• 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes (blanched)¹

• 1/2 cup of white wine

• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce

• Juice & zest of 1-2 lemons

• 1 bunch of parsley and chives, finely chopped

• Salt & Pepper for seasoning

Method

1. Season the prawns with salt & pepper generously. Set aside.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over a low heat. When the butter starts to froth add in the onion and garlic. Sauté on low until the onion is soft then add in the chillies for 1 minute.

3. Start cooking your pasta around now - cook until just before al dente. Don't forget to season the pasta water with lots of salt.

4. Add in your blanched tomatoes and cook them down. Add in a good pinch of salt and pepper. Use the back of your spatula to squish the tomatoes down until you have a nice thick sauce (about 10 minutes).

5. Add your prawns to the sauce for 1 minute then pour in 1/2 a cup of pasta water, the white wine, and the fish sauce. This will gently poach the prawns.

6. After 5-6 minutes add in your pasta and let it finish cooking in the sauce. Take the pasta off the heat and add in your lemon zest and juice, the chopped herbs, and finish with a good crack of black pepper.

Notes:

1. You don't have to use blanched tomatoes but if you want to avoid having the skin in the pasta here's how to blanch them. Score the skin with a knife - creating a little cross. Plunge them into boiling water for 5 seconds then put them in ice water. The skin will peel right off!

Stay Salty,

Romy xx