Tagliatelle, Runner Beans & Shrimp

Preparation time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 15 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients

•  16 raw shrimp (prawns) in their shells
• 160 g runner beans
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 scallion (spring onion), chopped
• 50 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100 ml white wine
• 1 teaspoon tomato purée (paste)
• 300 g egg tagliatelle pasta
• Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
• A few mint leaves, chopped
• salt and pepper

Method

• First prepare the shrimp (prawns). Rinse the shrimp under running water. Remove the heads (reserve these) and shells, keeping the tails intact.
• Using a sharp knife, cut through the back of each shrimp and remove and discard the intestine, being careful not to break it.
• Bring a large pan of water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with iced water and set it beside the stove.
• Drop the runner beans into the boiling water and leave for 3 minutes.
• Drain, plunge into the iced water, then drain again thoroughly.
• Cut the beans into slices
• Heat a drizzle of oil in a skillet (frying pan), add the carrot, celery, and scallion (spring onion), and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until golden brown.
• Add the shrimp heads and half the cherry tomatoes, pour over the wine, add the tomato purée (paste), and cook for about 6–7 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
• Pass the sauce through a strainer (sieve) into a bowl and discard the vegetables and prawn heads. Keep warm.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet, add the remaining cherry tomatoes and the shelled shrimp, and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the package directions until al dente, then drain well.
• Transfer the drained pasta to the skillet with the shelled shrimp, then stir in the sliced beans.
• Taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
• Stir in the prepared sauce and lemon zest and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes until well mixed and heated through.

Source: 'Eataly: Contemporary Italian Cooking' available at the Triggerfish Cookshop

About the book: This beautiful cookbook, created in collaboration with Eataly, one of the best Italian food brands, features 300 landmark recipes highlighting the best of contemporary Italian home cooking.