Spot Prawns with Nero di Seppia Pasta
A fantastic restaurant-quality (but simple!) pasta featuring spot prawns, cuttlefish-ink pasta, a scratch-made saffron tomato sauce, and mascarpone cheese.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 4 crushed red chilies ((see note))
- spot prawn shells (from tails (see below))
- 3/4 cup water
- pinch saffron
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 450 g spot prawn tails ((18-20 prawns, shell-on))
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150 g white onion (diced (~1.25 cups or 1/2 large onion))
- 4 cloves garlic
- 796 ml can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 350 g nero di seppia (squid ink) pasta ((I used spaghetti, but other long/thin types are fine too))
- 1/2 cup mascarpone
- flat leaf parsley (finely chopped, to serve)
Instructions
- 1
(Optional but recommended) Wrap the saffron in a small square of aluminum foil, then toast in a hot pan or oven for about 1 minute. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
- 2
Lightly crush the saffron threads (e.g. with a mortar and pestle) and place into a small container. Pour hot water over the saffron, then loosely cover the liquid and set it aside, ideally for about 4 hours (see note).
- 3
Peel the spot prawn tails (take care - they've got some spines) and set the shells aside for making the stock.
- 4
In a small saucepan, heat 2 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the crushed chilies and allow them to sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the spot prawn shells and continue to cook for another minute, stirring a little to mix everything together. Add 3/4 cup of water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.
- 5
Cook the stock for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and cool. Strain the stock to remove the prawn shells and peppers, then set aside.
- 6
Add butter and olive oil to a large saucepan or pot on the stovetop. Heat over medium. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are fragrant and somewhat translucent.
- 7
Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
- 8
Add the diced tomatoes and their tomato juice to the pot. Stir to combine.
- 9
Add the saffron water to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer over slightly reduced heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens too much or is in danger of scorching, add a little water.
- 10
Add the spot prawn stock to the sauce, stir to combine, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
- 11
Use an immersion blender (or transfer the sauce to a blender/food processor) to blend the sauce to the desired consistency. I like it relatively smooth, but you can leave it chunky/rustic if you prefer.
- 12
Salt to taste. If ready to serve, leave the sauce simmering over low heat. If not, remove from heat and return it to a simmer before continuing to the next step.
- 13
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, per the package instructions. Drain the pasta, retaining about 1/4 cup to add to the sauce.
- 14
Add the spot prawns and about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the sauce. Continue to simmer until the prawns are just cooked through (about 3 minutes). Take care not to overcook the prawns, as they will become rubbery.
- 15
Plate individual portions of pasta. Top each serving with sauce. Add a large dollop (about 2 tbsp) of mascarpone, then top with 5 prawns and a little chopped parsley. Serve immediately.