Prawn and Sundried Tomato Pomodoro with Spaghetti (High protein+fibre)

This tasty pasta dish is perfect for the summer, paired with a nice cold lemonade.

This was taken after I had eaten half the pasta! Hence why most of the cheese has disappeared.

During a trip to Portobello Market yesterday, I bought a box of sundried tomatoes and chili olives that were soaked in olive oil. I was eager to incorporate these two ingredients in my lunch today. I had initially planned to make a tapenade with brie slices and brush it over a toasted ciabatta which I had frozen earlier. Unfortunately, the ciabatta needed to be defrosted for 2 hours and as I am both impatient and lazy, I decided to concoct this dish. It wasn't wholly negative though as this dish turned out to be divine and I got to use pasta which is my favourite carb of all time!

This dish was experimental and I used ingredients which I had left over in my fridge and pantry. Although made completely from scratch, the recipe takes only 30 minutes maximum! I highly recommend using good quality ingredients, such as extra virgin olive oil and Italian certified canned tomatoes as they take the dish to the next level and capture the essence of the meal really well.

Likewise, Grana Padano cheese adds a hint of mellow nuttiness. You can substitute with Parmigiano Reggiano but this is a bit more tart. I would not advise using cheddar cheese or mozzarella unless you do not have any of cheeses above. If you aren't a fan of cheese, you can simply omit! The sauce is rich and creamy in its own right and I didn't feel the need to grate extra cheese on. (Which is a feat in itself because I always grate extra cheese on all pasta!)

You can substitute the prawns for calamari, scallops or any shell fish. I recommend using defrosted prawns but if your prawns are frozen, simply place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water.

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Prawn and Sundried Tomato Pomodoro with Spaghetti

Serves 1

High protein and High fibre

Ingredients

I serving of whole-wheat spaghetti (Approx. 90g)

1/2 can (200g) of Cirio Polpa chopped tomatoes (Or any other Italian brand)

1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

1 mini red sweet pepper, chopped into long slices

2 sundried tomatoes in olive oil, finely chopped

1 large green olive, chopped small

5 cherry tomatoes

a few basil leaves

10 large cooked prawns (defrosted if need be)

pepper and salt to taste

Shavings of Grana Padano cheese

Method

1. Boil a 1 litre of water in shallow pan and lightly salt.

2. In a medium sized saucepan, add the olive oil, peppers, cherry tomatoes and garlic. Sauté on a low-medium heat for a couple of minutes until the vegetables are soft.

3. Add the sundried tomatoes, olives, a few grinds of pepper and basil to the pan, stir for 1-2 minutes.

4. Pour the chopped tomatoes and cover with a lid. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the base of the pan.

5. Add the spaghetti to the water and cook al dente according to packet instructions. If the timing is a range, eg: 10-12 minutes, cook for the shortest time so 10 minutes.

6. Once the pasta is cooked, add to the sauce along with the prawns. Mix well with tongs.

7. Cover and let the sauce and pasta infuse for 2 -3 minutes.

8. Plate up, grate the cheese and serve with a handful of spinach.