Hairy Bikers Chilli Prawn Pasta Recipe

Hairy Bikers chilli prawn pasta is a quick linguine with garlic, fresh chillies, prawns, and lemon at just 302 calories per serving. It comes from the Hairy Dieters Make It Easy cookbook, and it uses starchy pasta water instead of cream to build the sauce.

Si and Dave say this dish “tastes the business,” which is why they kept the ingredient list to just six items plus seasoning. With so few ingredients there is nowhere to hide a mistake, so every step matters.

The technique that holds it together is the pasta cooking water. Three tablespoons of that starchy water mixed with lemon juice coats the linguine in a silky gloss, which is how Si and Dave keep it light without cream or butter.

Hairy Bikers Chilli Prawn Pasta Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Frying Cuisine:British Italian Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 15 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 25 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:302 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Six ingredients, one pan for the prawns, one pot for the pasta, and 25 minutes from start to finish. From Si and Dave’s Make It Easy at 302 calories per serving, served with parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients

• 200g linguine
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 medium red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• Zest and juice of ½ lemon
• 500g raw prawns, shelled
• Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, season with a good pinch of salt, then add the linguine and cook according to the packet instructions.
2. Cook the prawns: While the pasta boils, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and chillies over a medium-low heat until you can smell their aroma, making sure the garlic does not take on any colour. Add the lemon zest and prawns, season, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
3. Build the sauce: Drain the pasta and reserve a ladleful of cooking water. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of it to the prawns with the lemon juice, then simmer for a couple of minutes. Toss in the linguine.
4. Serve: Stir in the parsley and serve at once in shallow bowls with a green salad on the side.

FAQs

Can I use spaghetti instead of linguine?

Spaghetti works since the sauce is light enough to coat either shape. Linguine holds slightly more of the cooking water glaze because of the flat surface, but the difference is small. Si and Dave call it linguine in the book, so that is what I stick with.

Why is there no cream in this?

The starchy pasta water thickens the lemon juice into a glossy sauce that clings to the prawns without any cream needed. Adding cream would mask the chilli and lemon, which are the whole point of the dish. Si and Dave designed this as a Dieters recipe, so every calorie earns its place.

How do I know when the prawns are cooked?

They turn from grey to pink and curl into a loose C shape, which takes 1 to 2 minutes per side. If they curl into a tight O they have gone too far and will be rubbery. Si and Dave also say not to let the garlic colour, since burnt garlic turns bitter and ruins the pan.

Can I add broccoli to bulk this out?

Si and Dave suggest adding tenderstem broccoli to the pasta water for the last few minutes of cooking. It adds bulk with barely any extra calories, which helps because 50g of pasta per person can feel light. I do this when I want the bowl fuller without reaching for more linguine.

What else can I make with these prawns and chilli?

In Mediterranean Adventure, Si and Dave have a Garlic and Chilli Prawns recipe that is a Spanish tapas dish without any pasta at all. If you want a bigger meal with more heat, the Hairy Bikers chilli con carne works well as a second dish on the same night since the flavour profiles complement each other.