Traditionally, Italians never serve seafood pastas with parmesan cheese, but I love the subtle saltiness it adds to this dish. If you prefer, use cubes of seared fresh tuna instead of prawns - magic. We usually make this dish with long pasta but a short one such as penne works well, too.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 bunch basil leaves
1/4 bunch parsley leaves
1/4 bunch mint leaves
1/2 cup toasted unsalted pistachios
1 tbsp finely grated parmesan
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
freshly ground pepper
400g dried spaghetti
700g green king prawns, peeled with tails intact (or fresh tuna)
Method
POUND THE GARLIC and 1/4 tsp salt into a paste, using a mortar and pestle. Add the basil, parsley and mint and continue to pound until the herbs break down and a thick paste is formed. Add half the pistachios and work them in well so the paste has a creamy texture.
ROUGHLY CHOP the remaining pistachios and stir through with the parmesan, 2 tbsp oil and lemon juice. Season with more salt if required and add a grind of pepper.
COOK THE SPAGHETTI in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well and place back in the pot with the lid on to keep warm.
HEAT A CAST-IRON PAN on a high heat with the remaining oil. Pan-fry the prawns for a minute each side, then season with remaining salt.
MIX THE PESTO and the prawns through the pasta and serve in four bowls.
Photography: William Meppem, Jennifer Soo. Styling: Hannah Meppem. Food preparation: Nick Banbury.
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