Calamarata with Red Prawns

Clean the prawns by removing the heads and shells, keeping the tails in a bowl. Squeeze the heads by hand to extract the juice and collect it in a separate bowl. Place the squeezed heads in a heavy-bottomed pot.

Season the prawn tails with salt, cumin, extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley, and grated lemon zest. Mix well and let rest in the fridge while you prepare the rest.

In the pot with the prawn heads, heat a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Add basil, parsley, thinly sliced ginger, and a crushed garlic clove. Pour in a glass of champagne (or prosecco) and cover. Let it simmer on low heat for 10–15 minutes so the heads release all their flavor.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.

In a pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and sauté a garlic clove. Add the tomato passata, the prawn head juice, and the aromatic broth from the pot. Simmer for a few minutes and adjust the salt if needed.

In another pan, heat a bit of oil and add a mix of ground spices (turmeric, tandoori, cubeb pepper, and salt). Lightly toast the spices, then add the marinated prawn tails. Cook briefly until they turn pink, stirring to coat well.

Drain the calamarata al dente and add it to the pan with the prawns. Toss everything together and finally add the sauce with the tomato and prawn juice. Keep tossing until the pasta is well coated, then serve hot!

Enjoy! For portion adjustments or any questions, we’re always at your service!