Aglio Olio with Prawns

While I am fond of rich pasta like creamy pesto, baked mac and  lasagna, I am also partial to basic pasta preparation. 

If you'll notice, most of my posts about pasta here are basic and simple. The main reason is that I have very little time to cook now that Reese is on her toddler years and need to be supervised all the time. I also make it a point to share quick and easy ways to cook food that the whole family can enjoy.

Aglio Olio is basically a pasta dish using Garlic and Oil as its name suggests.  To add a twist, I used large shrimp or prawns to infuse the seafood flavor as opposed to the usual anchovy fillets.

Ingredients

400 grams spaghetti, cooked al dente

1/2 cup olive oil

1 whole garlic, minced

300 grams prawns, peeled and halved 

1 tsp Chili flakes

Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped or 1 tbsp. dried

Procedure

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the prawns  by peeling each without taking the tail. Cut the shrimp lengthwise. Season with salt (about a teaspoon) and pepper (1/4 teaspoon).

Heat up the olive oil and immediately throw in the garlic and chili flakes. Saute for one minute. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through.

Turn the heat to low and add the pasta. Make sure to mix throroughly such that every noodle has been coated with the sauce. Check the taste and add salt, pepper and chili flakes as needed. Add the basil cook for at least 1 minute more while mixing everything thoroughly.

Serve with parmesan cheese on top.

Pasta Marinara

Marinara sauce, for me,  is the most versatile pasta sauce that I can prepare at anytime. Still haven't gotten over from Habagat's disaster, I cooked spaghetti in Marinara plain and simple. Most of my cooking tools were submerged in the flood since they are kept at the bottom part of my buffet cabinet, of course I wouldn't want to jeopardize the health of my family so with a pain in my heart, I tossed everything out in the trash. 

What's in my Pantry? - Ragú Pasta Sauce

I'm starting a series of "What's in my Pantry?" to let you readers get a glimpse of the ingredients or products I use for cooking. On a similar note, I plan to have another series of the tools or appliances that I find invaluable in my gastronomic adventures. Earlier in my blog post, I have featured Tefal Actifry which has proven to help minimize the need for oil in fried foods that I prepare.

Going back to this post's featured product, Ragú, which is the favorite pasta sauce brand in our home. According to Ragú's website, the brand has been in the market for 75 years and is currently the most preferred pasta sauce in the U.S.