Comfort
Harissa Prawn Fusilli
Bold harissa, sweet prawns and a tangle of Cibo di Italia Fusilli make a iftar showstopper that takes less than 30 minutes from fridge to table. The spirals hold the punchy tomato-harissa sauce in every turn — deeply savoury, a little smoky, with just enough heat to wake up a fasting table.
Ingredients
- 400 g Cibo di Italia Fusilli
- 500 g raw king prawns — peeled and deveined, fresh or thawed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 piece medium onion — finely diced
- 4 pieces garlic cloves — thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp harissa paste — adjust to taste — start with 1 tbsp if you prefer mild
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sugar
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley — roughly chopped
- 1 piece lemon — cut into wedges to serve
Method
-
Step 1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a hard boil. Drop in the fusilli and cook for 9–10 minutes until al dente, tasting at 8 minutes.
9 min
-
Step 2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 6 minutes until soft.
6 min
-
Step 3. Add the garlic, smoked paprika and cumin and stir for 1 minute. Add the harissa paste and stir for another minute — the oil will turn a deep brick-red.
2 min
-
Step 4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and sugar, season well, and simmer over medium-low heat for 8 minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens slightly.
8 min
-
Step 5. Push the sauce to the edges of the pan. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the centre and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the prawns in a single layer and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until they curl and turn pink. Do not overcook.
3 min
-
Step 6. Scoop out a mug of pasta water before draining. Add the drained fusilli to the prawn pan with a good splash of pasta water and toss everything together over medium heat for 1 minute.
1 min
-
Step 7. Squeeze in the lemon juice, scatter with fresh coriander or parsley and give a final toss. Serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside.
Goes well with
Mango and ginger sparkling water — the tropical sweetness softens the harissa heat and feels festive at the iftar table.
Warm flatbread to mop up the extra sauce — an essential companion to this dish.
A plate of fresh melon slices with a tiny pinch of chilli flakes and a squeeze of lime.
Nutrition
Scaled to your servings
- 530kcalCalories27%
- 72gCarbohydrate28%
- 32gProtein64%
- 12gFat17%
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Fusilli
500g · Cooks in 9–11 minutes · Serves ~5
See where to buy
