The first time I tried pasta made this way was at a family dinner when my brother made it. I have never scoffed down a pasta so fast, and I’m pretty sure I went back for thirds. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was so good. So, so good. After dinner, he finally revealed that the sauce he used was made using the prawn heads and shells. And ever since then, I have been obsessed with making prawn (shrimp) pasta this way. “Use the prawn (shrimp) heads and shells to make a sauce that makes this a restaurant quality pasta.” So by using the prawn heads and shells to make a quick stock, you can make a pasta that is a step up from the usual. It’s not a full blown fish stock, just a quick one made using the prawn heads and shells. And it doesn’t taste fishy at all. I would describe it as sweet with a deep flavour. In fact, it’s actually quite hard to pick why the pasta tastes so good, you just know it does! This is best made using raw whole prawns which you peel yourself because you will get the most flavour in the stock/sauce. But it can also be made using pre cooked prawns, as long as they are not peeled. Oh, before I sign off, a quick tip for Sydney-siders! I got these prawns from Harris Farm Markets on a whim because I just discovered today that all their fresh seafood is 50% off from 2pm on Sundays! I will most certainly be making it a habit to swing by Harris Farms on Sunday afternoons….. Happy cooking! – Nagi PS Do you know how to tell a prawn is perfectly cooked? A raw prawn hangs straight. A perfectly cooked prawn curls into a “C” shape. An overcooked prawn curls into an “O” shape. It’s so sad when that happens! SaveSave SaveSave
