Prawns (or Shrimp) Over Pasta In Tomato Cream Sauce 06-Jul-2011

Shallots, garlic, wine, tomatoes, and cream make a fabulous fresh sauce for prawns (or shrimp) and pasta. It is paired with angel hair pasta here, but feel free to use your favorite pasta or even cheese tortellini. Have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go because this dish only takes about 15 minutes to cook from start to finish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 shallots, minced (or 1/2 cup minced sweet onion)
  • 4 cloves of crushed garlic (or 2 tablespoons of bottled crushed garlic)
  • 1/2 cup red wine (I prefer merlot)
  • 6 Roma tomatoes (this is the only kind I will buy from the store) or 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained), chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (crushed to release flavor)
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 pound large raw prawns (15-20 count), peeled and deveined
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Angel hair pasta, cooked al dente
  • Additional chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat.

  2. Add olive oil and sauté shallots or sweet onions for 2 minutes.

  3. Add garlic and sauté another minute.

  4. Carefully pour in red wine and cook another minute, stirring constantly.

  5. Add chopped tomatoes, oregano, and basil, stirring to combine. Simmer about 5 minutes for flavors to blend.

  6. Slowly add heavy cream to tomato mixture, stirring while it goes in.

  7. Continue cooking until reduced and somewhat thickened.

  8. Add prawns and basil to tomato cream sauce and simmer, turning often, only until pink and opaque. (Do not overcook or the prawns will become tough.)

  9. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately over cooked angel hair pasta.

As mentioned above, you can use sun-dried tomatoes in this instead of fresh Roma tomatoes. Don’t use any other kind of tomatoes unless you grow them yourself or get them from someone who does. Supermarket tomatoes (even the organics) are grown to be shipped and have virtually no flavour.