The secret to perfect Italian pasta with prawns is one foundational technique, a method I mastered during summers spent in small seafront towns where the daily catch dictated the day's menu. This guide breaks down that authentic technique, showing you how to apply it to two distinct recipes: a light, fresh version with zucchini and a rich, sweet version with cherry tomatoes. This is the philosophy of simple, fresh cooking-and the reason Italians never add cheese to seafood.
Jump to:
Pillar of Italian Cuisine
The first and most important principle of Italian cooking is the absolute freshness of the ingredients.
In Italy, the star of the dish is always the ingredient itself.
Our goal is never to mask its natural flavor, but to elevate it and allow it to shine.
This philosophy is the reason our cuisine is so regional; we cook with what is local and in-season, because that is when food is at its absolute peak.
Buying the Right Prawns
The quality of your prawns is the foundation of this dish, as their natural flavor will dictate the success of your recipe. Here's how to ensure you're working with the best:
A Trusted Fishmonger
Your first stop should always be a reliable fishmonger.
In Italy, markets like Ventimiglia are known for their daily catch, ensuring that seafood is always fresh.
When selecting prawns:
- Firmness: Gently touch the prawns. They should feel firm, clean, and never slimy.
- Appearance: Look for clear eyes and a bright, slightly translucent shell.
- Smell: Fresh prawns should smell faintly of the ocean-not fishy.
If the prawns don't meet these standards, walk away.
Slimy prawns or those with a strong odor are a clear sign of poor quality.
What If Fresh Prawns Aren't an Option?
While fresh prawns are ideal, high-quality frozen prawns can be a good alternative. Look for prawns that are:
- Flash-frozen immediately after being caught to preserve flavor and texture.
- Free from added water or chemicals, which can dilute their natural taste.
Avoid pre-cooked frozen prawns as they won't release the flavorful juices needed for the sauce.
If you can't find fresh or good-quality frozen prawns, it's best to skip this recipe entirely, as Italian cuisine depends on the purity and quality of its ingredients.
Ingredients for the sauce
The ingredients for these prawn pasta recipes are carefully chosen to create pure, balanced flavors.
Each recipe requires one aromatic (garlic or shallot), a main vegetable (zucchini or cherry tomatoes), an herb for freshness (basil or lemon zest), seasoning, and extra virgin olive oil-never butter.
A splash of white wine adds depth to the sauce, though it's entirely optional.
This is what we will use for our recipes:
Ingredients for the Zucchini Version
- Fresh prawns
- Spaghetti or linguine
- Zucchini (preferably Zucchini Trombetta or small, young zucchini)
- Garlic cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon zest
- Dry white wine (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
You can find the measurement and the detailed recipe: Pasta with zucchini and prawns
Ingredients for the Cherry Tomato Version
- Fresh prawns
- Spaghetti or linguine
- Cherry tomatoes
- Shallot
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dry white wine (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
Choosing Your Aromatic
When it comes to Italian cuisine, simplicity and balance are key-this extends to the choice of your aromatic.
For this dish, you can use either garlic or shallots, but never both.
Combining the two creates a clash of flavors, which goes against the principle of letting individual ingredients shine.
Shallots are preferred over onions in seafood dishes because of their more delicate flavor, which pairs beautifully with prawns.
Onions, on the other hand, are too strong and can overpower the subtle sweetness of the seafood.
Choosing the Vegetables
For this recipe, we'll be making two variations of prawn pasta: a light and fresh version with zucchini, and a rich, sweet version with cherry tomatoes.
These two vegetables create completely distinct flavor profiles, so each dish is cooked separately to allow the main ingredient to shine without flavors competing.
When selecting vegetables, follow two simple principles for the best results:
- Choose vegetables that are in season. Seasonal produce is at its peak flavor and texture, which is essential for a dish as simple as this.
- Avoid strong-flavored vegetables. Ingredients like spinach, red peppers, or broccoli are too overpowering and can disrupt the balance of this prawn-based dish.
Choosing the zucchini
In Liguria, the zucchini version is traditionally made with Zucchini Trombetta, a local specialty.
This long, slender zucchini has seeds concentrated at one end, leaving the rest as pure, crunchy, meaty flesh-perfect for this dish.
If you see these at the market, they are highly recommended.If you can't find Trombetta, opt for small, young zucchini.
Large zucchini should be avoided, as they are watery, full of seeds, and lack flavor.
In Italy, oversized zucchini are often considered low-quality and are only used as animal feed.
Choosing the Pasta
For these prawn pasta recipes, long pasta is essential.
Spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini are the ideal choices, as their texture and shape complement the firm flesh of the prawns.
These types of pasta allow you to create the perfect mouthful by wrapping the strands around the prawns, balancing the flavors and textures in each bite.
Fresh chunky spaghetti is an excellent option, as it has a soft, delicate texture that absorbs the sauce beautifully.
I make them with my KitchenAid pasta roll attachments, and you can find the recipe at Homemade spaghetti.
If you're using dried pasta, choose a high-quality brand with a firm bite to stand up to the richness of the sauce.
Always cook the pasta one minute less than the package instructions suggest, as it will finish cooking in the sauce with the prawns.
This ensures it absorbs the flavors and achieves the perfect al dente texture.
If you want to cook the pasta the Italian way, you can read the article: How To Cook Pasta Like An Italian
Instructions
Preparing the Prawns
- Rinse the fresh prawns thoroughly under cold running water to ensure they are clean.
- In a large bowl, combine the egg, flour, freshly chopped parsley, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl.
Preparing the Two Sauces
The two methods for preparing the sauces differ because of the distinct characteristics of zucchini and cherry tomatoes.
Cherry tomatoes naturally release their juices as they cook, creating a juicy and flavorful sauce with minimal effort.
Zucchini, on the other hand, absorbs liquid and requires a separate cooking process to ensure it achieves the right texture without drying out the sauce.
To preserve the integrity of each vegetable and achieve the best results, the zucchini is cooked separately before being added to the sauce, while the cherry tomatoes are cooked alongside the prawns to create a cohesive, naturally juicy base.
For the zucchini sauce
Slice the zucchini.
Fry the zucchini in a separate pan with olive oil until golden and nicely browned.
Once cooked, set the zucchini aside.
Stir-fry garlic in olive oil to create the sauce base.
Add the whole prawns (with heads on) to the pan and stir-fry gently over low heat until they turn pink.
Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine, letting the alcohol cook off for about a minute.
N.B.: If not using wine, a squeeze of lemon juice can be used but never combine wine and lemon juice.
Remove the prawns from the pan once they are fully pink to prevent overcooking.
For the cherry tomato sauce
Slice the shallots
Stir-fry them in olive oil until softened.
Add halved cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves to the pan.
Add the whole prawns (with heads on) to the pan and stir-fry gently over low heat until they turn pink.
Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine, letting the alcohol cook off for about a minute.
Remove the prawns from the pan once they are fully pink to prevent overcooking.
N.B.:Do not use lemon juice for this version, as it doesn't complement the tomatoes.
Deveining the Prawns
Peel the prawns by removing the shell and the head.
Make a shallow incision along the back of the prawn using a small knife to expose the digestive tract.
Use the tip of the knife to lift and remove the dark line, which is the digestive tract.
Once deveined, the prawns are ready to be added back to the sauce.
I use a prawn deveiner, and you can find it on Amazon on the affiliate link.
Putting It All Together, Sauce, Pasta and Prawns
Zucchini Recipe
Add the fried zucchini back into the pan with the garlic sauce.
Cook the pasta until al dente, draining it one minute before the time indicated on the package.
Add the pasta directly to the pan with the sauce and zucchini.
Toss everything together, adding a small ladle of the starchy pasta water if the sauce becomes too dry.
- Season with black pepper and fresh lemon zest to finish.
Do not add lemon juice, as the wine already provides the necessary acidity.
Cherry Tomato Recipe
Add the peeled and deveined prawns back into the pan to warm through.
Toss the pasta into the pan with the tomato and shallot sauce once it is al dente, ensuring it's drained one minute before the time indicated on the package.
Finish with a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper.
Conclusion
Now it's up to you!
With these foundational principles and techniques, you can create not just these two prawn pasta recipes, but your own variations using seasonal vegetables and fresh ingredients.
Whether you experiment with different vegetables, aromatics, or herbs, the foundation remains the same: high-quality ingredients, minimal intervention, and an approach that lets the natural flavors shine.
Recipes of pasta with seafood
Which version will you create? Let me know in the comments below!
You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.
How to make any pasta with prawns like an Italian
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fresh whole prawns
- Aromatic shallot, garlic or red onion
- Vegetable Vegetable that are in season and with a delicate flavor
- Herbs Basil, parsley, lemon zest
- Dry white wine or lemon juice
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 1 lb long pasta spaghetti, linguine, bucatini
- salt for boiling pasta
Instructions
Preparing the Prawns
- Rinse the prawns thoroughly under cold running water to clean them.
- Trim off any long antennae to avoid them breaking into the sauce.
- Cook the prawns whole with the heads on to extract maximum flavor.
Choosing and Preparing Aromatics and Vegetables
- Choose one aromatic: garlic for a mild flavor or shallots for a more delicate touch. Avoid mixing the two.
- Select vegetables that are in season and not overly strong in flavor, like zucchini or cherry tomatoes.
Preparing the Sauce
- Stir-fry the aromatic (garlic or shallots) in olive oil over low to medium heat.
- For ingredients with high water content, like cherry tomatoes, cook them directly with the prawns to create a juicy sauce.
- For ingredients that require longer cooking, like zucchini, cook them separately to ensure the best texture and flavor.
Cooking the Prawns
- Add the whole prawns to the pan and cook gently over low heat until they turn pink.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine and let the alcohol cook off. Optionally, use lemon juice for acidity, but never combine both.
- Remove the prawns from the pan once cooked to prevent overcooking.
Peeling and Deveining the Prawns
- Peel the prawns, leaving the heads on for flavor if desired.
- Devein by making a shallow incision along the back and removing the digestive tract.
Cooking the Pasta
- Cook the pasta until al dente, draining it one minute less than the package instructions.
Combining the Pasta and Sauce
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce.
- Toss everything together and add a small ladle of starchy pasta water as needed to create a creamy texture.
Finishing and Serving
- Add the prawns back to the sauce to warm through.
- Season the dish: use fresh lemon zest for zucchini or freshly cracked black pepper for cherry tomatoes.
- Serve immediately while piping hot.
Video
Notes
- If you do not want to use wine, a squeeze of lemon juice can be used but never combine wine and lemon juice.
- When cooking the prawns, it is important to keep the temperature low to give time to the prawns to release all their juices without drying out
Leave a Reply