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Spaghetti con Gamberetti e Rucola, or more prosaically Spaghetti with prawns and rocket

Gus has just come back from Australia. It's great to have him back, particularly to have him back in one piece.
He's off to Falmouth next week to start Uni so we are making the most of him for the week and a bit that we've got him for.
Last night Lisa was out and I came back a bit late after three pints in the Crown (Clerkenwell Green) with the three other founding krows.
Lisa had very graciously prepared all the ingredients for this great recipe by Saint Jamie from his 'Jamie's Italy' book, so all Gus and I had to do was to bung it together with father and son working in very happy harmony. Like me he is happy in the kitchen and rather soppily I love these shared culinary moments.
This takes a bit of preparation but is very easy and has a lovely tomato-ey, spicy, lemony taste.
Despite it's ease this also has a deceptive elegance that means you could easily serve it for a dinner party.

Ingredients

455g dried spaghetti
sea salt & freshly ground black peper
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled & finely chopped
1-2 dried red chillies, crumbled
400g peeled raw prawns
1 small wineglass of white wine
2 heaped tablespoons of sun dried tomato puree or 6 sun dried tomatoes blitzed in a blender
zest & juice of 1 lemon
2 handfuls of rocket, roughly chopped

Method

Cook your spaghetti in a large pan of salted boiling water according to packet instructions.
Meanwhile, heat 3 good glugs of olive oil in a large frying pan & toss in the garlic & chilli. As the garlic begins to colour, add the prawns & sauté them for a minute.
Add the white wine & tomato puree & simmer for a couple of minutes.
When the pasta is ready, drain & reserve a little of the cooking water. Toss the spaghetti with the sauce, squeeze in the lemon juice, add half the chopped rocket, adding a little of the reserved water if the sauce needs loosening a bit.
Correct the seasoning & serve sprinkled with lemon zest & remaining rocket.
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Comments

Anonymous said…
Tried tgis a couple of nights ago. Realy good: quick, simple and very tasty. Am going to try it on the kids at the weekend.

j
October 9, 2007 at 10:42 AM
Lulu said…
This was really really scrummy and having broken my wrist ticked all the 'one handed cooking' boxes. Great relief all round not to be tucking into another Cook (the ready meal company NOT Barry)frozen meal. Lulu
February 21, 2009 at 5:17 PM
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