Garlic Butter Prawn Linguine

Ingredients

• Linguine 300g
• Raw king prawns, peeled and deveined 300g
• Unsalted butter 75g
• Garlic cloves, finely chopped 4
• Olive oil 2 tbsp
• Dried chilli flakes 1/2 tsp
• Dry white wine (optional) 100ml
• Lemon, zested and juiced 1
• Fresh parsley, chopped 30g
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook the linguine in a large pan of boiling, salted water according to packet instructions until al dente. Reserve about 150ml of the pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and 50g of the butter in a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat.
3. Add the chopped garlic and chilli flakes, and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Add the raw prawns to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until they turn pink and opaque. If using white wine, pour it in now and let it bubble and reduce by half.
5. Add the remaining 25g of butter to the pan, along with the lemon zest and juice. Stir until the butter has melted and created a sauce.
6. Add the drained linguine to the pan with the prawns and sauce. Toss well to combine.
7. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta. Continue to toss until everything is well combined and the sauce is glossy.
8. Stir in most of the chopped fresh parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
9. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining fresh parsley.