Revisiting one of my signature pasta dishes this week – the tomato and prawn linguine. This time, with a slightly more balanced flavour profile. It still delivers that deep umami-rich hit, but it’s a little cleaner, fresher and more restrained than some of my earlier versions. Less heavy, more finesse.
The foundation of this dish is a hybrid prawn stock / bisque that gives the sauce body and depth, paired with a cherry tomato base that brings brightness and sweetness. Some prawns are left whole, some diced, so you get different textures in every bite. Simple on the surface, but there's a lot going on here in terms of technique and layering.
Perfect for when you want to impress.
A few things to know before you start:
Use quality prawns: Tiger prawns work beautifully. Go fresh if you can. The shells and heads are key to building a flavourful stock.
The stock is everything: It’s a halfway point between a bisque and a stock. Rich but not overpowering. Take your time with it, it’s worth it.
Cherry tomatoes > tinned: Multi-coloured cherry tomatoes bring the best mix of acidity and sweetness. Avoid large watery varieties.
Take out the tomato skins: It’s SO annoying but makes the final texture a million times better.
Freeze your stock: This stuff is gold. We won’t use it all, so freeze for future use in seafood pastas, dressings, etc.
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