Prawn, broad bean and lemon pasta

Name: Prawn, broad bean and lemon pasta
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 450g broad beans (about 150g podded); 380g gnochetti sardi or another short pasta of your choice; 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 300g raw prawn meat, roughly chopped; 100ml dry white wine; 2 tbsp creme fraiche; handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; zest of a lemon

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

September 20, 2024

If you can’t get your hands on any broad beans, peas or asparagus are a lovely substitute. William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

The most time-consuming part of this recipe is peeling the broad beans, which is actually quite pleasurable once you get into the rhythm. Once that little task is complete, the sauce comes together while the pasta is cooking.

If you can’t get your hands on any broad beans, peas or asparagus are a lovely substitute.

I like to use gnochetti sardi here, but other pasta shapes, such as radiatori or conchiglie, are perfect, too.

Ingredients

450g broad beans (about 150g podded)
380g gnochetti sardi or another short pasta of your choice
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
300g raw prawn meat, roughly chopped
100ml dry white wine
2 tbsp creme fraiche
handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
zest of a lemon

Method

Step 1
Pod the broad beans and cook in a saucepan of boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Run under cold water or plunge into an ice-bath, then drain. Peel the broad beans, discarding the pale-green skins, and set aside.
Step 2
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted, boiling water until almost al dente.
Step 3
While the pasta is cooking, warm the butter and oil in a frying pan over a low heat and add the garlic. Gently cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant, then increase the heat to medium-high and add the prawn meat and a good pinch of salt. Cook the prawn meat for 1–2 minutes, tossing to coat, then add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 1–2 minutes, adding half a ladleful of the pasta water to the frying pan to begin creating a sauce.
Step 4
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and add the pasta to the pan along with the creme fraiche and a good splash of the pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta and continue to cook until the pasta is al dente. Continue to add pasta water as the pasta cooks so the pan doesn’t dry out (you may not need it all). Stir through the broad beans, parsley and lemon zest and season to taste. Serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil.

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