Strazzanti: Pasta Prawn, Pistachio & Ricotta

Inspiration

I lived and travelled all over Italy 8 years ago with Rome, Milan & Sicily being my main portals. The first time I moved to Sicily I was just about to turn 25 and I met Sofia in Trapani for a Rendezvous before I made my next travel plans to our hometown in Enna. During that short time together in Trapani, we discovered something out of this world, 3 flavour combinations from the local fishermen that have never left our sides since. These 3 ingredients play such a vital role in many of our dishes and can be dressed in a variety of ways and techniques; the Sicilian emerald gold Pistachio, creamy fresh Ricotta cheese and sweet Sicilian red prawns lined with an edge of saltiness from the sea. Although we can’t get to our beloved Sicily right now we are still transporting ourselves there with this dish and using prawns which we have widely available here in the UK.

Buon Appetito,

Emilia, Sofia, Nina Strazzanti

Method

This is a fast sauce to make, so it is important that your water is already boiling to cook the pasta and that all components to the dish are prepared and ready on the side to cook with.

1) In a bowl, place your Ricotta cheese, chopped fresh basil and half the Lemon Zest inside and mix well; leave to the side.

2) Make sure your Prawns are without shells and cleaned well patting dry with kitchen roll; leave to the side.

3) Prepare your Pistachios by lightly roasting in an oven at 160 degrees for 5 minutes and once cooled roughly chop; leave to the side.

4) Bring to the boil your pasta water which is well salted and start to cook your pasta ¾ of the way.

5) In a large saucepan place 1 tbsp of olive oil and add in your lightly crushed garlic removing the garlic skin. Turn the heat on low and start to cook the garlic until the oil is perfumed.

6) Turn the heat up slightly and add in your prawns and chopped pistachios stirring well, season with sea salt. Cook until the prawns are cooked through this should take less than 5 minutes (that is why it is important your pasta is already cooking at this point).

7) Take your ricotta, basil and lemon mix and add 8 large Tbsp’s of pasta water mix well together and leave it to the side.

8) Drain your ¾ cooked pasta keeping to the side some of the pasta water if needed for later and add into the prawn, garlic and pistachio mix; stir well.

9) Take your ricotta mix and add this into the saucepan with the prawns and pasta and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce if the sauce is looking a bit dry add in extra pasta water which you have reserved from draining.

Serve with extra lemon zest, basil & pistachios.

Buon Appetito