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Prawn Pasta à la Marseillaise

When Ava and I spent this wonderful day in the islands off Marseille in early October, we lunched at Le Frioul, overlooking the harbour. The Gambas à la Marseillaise we ate, large prawns flambéed with local liqueur Pastis, truly were finger-licking delicious. These Prawn Pasta à la Marseillaise captures the beautiful flavours of this fantastic holiday! Happy Sunday!

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 cups short pasta (like orecchiette)

2 tablespoons Chili and Herb Oil

1/2 large onion

1/3 hot chili pepper

1 teaspoon dried Herbes de Provence (a blend of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary and Summer savoury)

a dozen gambas (large prawns)

a small garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons Pastis de Marseille

2 ripe tomatoes, rinsed

1 small lemon

1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons demerara sugar

a few stalks Garden Chervil

a few stalks Garden Parsley

2 large leaves Garden Basil

Stir orecchiette into a large pot of salted boiling water, and cook, according to package's directions, generally 9 to 11 minutes until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat Chili and Herb Oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Finely chop onion, and add to the skillet. Fry, a couple of minutes.

Thinly slice hot chili pepper, and stir into the skillet, along with Herbes de Provence. Cook, another couple of minutes.

Cut the heads and tails off the gambas, and add them to the skillet. Cook, shaking the skillet to coat them in oil and herbs, until bright pink. Stir in garlic; cook, 1 minute more.

Gently pour Pastis over the prawns, and immediately and carefully ignite with a match. Flambé, until flames die down.

Roughly dice tomatoes, and stir into the skillet, along with their juice. Cook, a few minutes until they collapse, and reduce heat to medium. Thoroughly squeeze in the juice of the whole lemon.

Season with fleur de sel and black pepper. Stir in demerara sugar until completely dissolved.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain quickly, saving about 1/3 cup of its starchy cooking water. Add pasta to the prawns, gradually stirring in cooking water, cooking until it is beautifully coated in sauce.

Finely chop Garden Chervil, Parsley and Basil, and stir into the skillet.

Serve Prawn Pasta à la Marseillaise hot, with a glass of chilled white or rosé Côtes de Provence, or a nice Pastis!

View on Le Frioul Harbour from Le Dauphin restaurant, Marseille (Tuesday 3rd October, 2023)

Prawn Pasta

Prawn pasta is a quick cooking pasta and a delicious meal to prepare.

#prawn pasta