Spaghetti with prawns, chilli and cherry tomatoes

Ingredients

200g spaghetti
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ long red chilli, finely sliced
12 frozen prawns, peeled, deveined, thawed
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
Cook spaghetti according to packet directions, until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, place oil and garlic in a large frying pan. Heat on medium, allowing the oil to infuse.
Increase heat to high. Add prawns, chilli and tomatoes, tossing for 2-3 mins, until prawns are just cooked. Season with salt.
Using tongs, lift pasta from the water straight into frying pan, along with 1/4 cup (60ml) of the cooking water.
Toss well, until sauce is starting to stick to the pasta.
Add chopped parsley and toss through. Transfer to a serving plate.
Garnish with some extra parsley and a drizzle of oil. Enjoy!

Recipe notes

Don’t overcook the prawns
They only need a couple of minutes. If they curl tightly into little rings, they’ve gone too far.

Garlic first, then heat
Starting garlic in cold oil helps it infuse gently without burning.

Use good olive oil
There are so few ingredients here, so a decent extra virgin olive oil makes a big difference to the final dish.

Pasta water
It helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti. Add it gradually as you might not need the full ¼ cup.

Adjust the chilli
Half a red chilli gives it a nice warmth. Go more (or less) depending on how you like it.

Fresh or frozen prawns
Frozen work great for this dish, just make sure they’re fully thawed and patted dry before cooking to avoid soggy results. You can also use fresh if you have some on hand, just peel and devein them first.

Can I use another pasta shape?
Yes, linguine or fettuccine work well. Just use a long, thin pasta that holds the sauce nicely.