Prawn and Courgette Linguine with Chilli and Lemon

Ingredients

• 400g dried linguine
• 400g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
• 2 courgettes, cut into 1cm dice
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 red chillies, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 100ml dry white wine
• 20g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Parmesan or Pecorino, finely grated, to serve
• extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle, to serve
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
• chilli flakes, to finish
• ciabatta, to serve
• crisp green salad, to serve

Method

1. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. Cook the linguine for 1 minute less than the packet instructions, then reserve 200ml of pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, wide frying pan over a high heat. Add the diced courgette and cook for 5–6 minutes until golden at the edges and just tender.
3. Push the courgette to one side, reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and just starting to turn golden — don't let the garlic burn.
4. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes until reduced by half and the sharp alcohol smell has gone.
5. Add the prawns in a single layer and cook for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until pink and just curled through.
6. Add the drained linguine to the pan along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce clings to the pasta and looks glossy — add more pasta water a little at a time if needed.
7. Remove from the heat, squeeze over the lemon juice, add the lemon zest and scatter over most of the parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and toss once more.
8. Divide between four bowls. Finish with the remaining parsley, a pinch of chilli flakes, a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a grating of Parmesan or Pecorino and a squeeze of fresh lemon from the wedges. Serve with ciabatta and a crisp green salad alongside.