Paccheri with broccoli and prawns

Ingredients

• 350 gpaccheri or pacchetti pasta
• 500 gprawns
• ½ glasswhite wine
• 2 clovesgarlic, crushed
• to tasteextra-virgin olive oil
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• to tastechilli
• the reserved shells and headsprawn shells and heads
• 1shallot
• 1 clovegarlic
• ½carrot
• 35 gtomato purée
• 100 mldry white wine
• 500 mlhot water
• 1 knobbutter
• 2–3 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• quantity not specifiedbroccoli

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the prawns

   Remove the heads and shells, starting at the end opposite the tail, and reserve them for the bisque. Make a shallow cut along each prawn's back, lift out the dark intestinal vein with the tip of a knife and pull it away gently.

2. 2

   Cook the prawns

   Rinse the prawns, drain them and pat them dry. Fry them for a couple of minutes in a little oil with a crushed garlic clove, then add the white wine and season with salt. Set aside. Rinse and dry the shells and heads for the bisque.

3. 3

   Start the bisque

   Peel and chop the carrot and shallot. Peel and crush the garlic. Warm oil in a pan and brown the vegetables and garlic, then season the prawn shells with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Simmer the shells

   Cook the shells for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, and press the heads to release their juices. Add the white wine and tomato purée and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, then pour in the hot water.

5. 5

   Blend the bisque

   Bring the mixture to the boil, cover the pan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Take it off the heat, press the heads and shells with the back of a spoon, then blend the bisque for a few minutes and strain it through a fine sieve. Return it to the heat briefly and adjust the salt.

6. 6

   Finish the bisque

   Stir in a knob of butter to give the bisque a smooth finish, then set it aside. Trim the broccoli, removing damaged or woody parts, and cut the florets from the stalk; divide larger florets into 2–3 pieces.

7. 7

   Boil the broccoli

   Rinse the broccoli well in cold water, then boil it in plenty of salted water for 5 minutes. Drain it, keeping the cooking water.

8. 8

   Season the broccoli

   Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a wide frying pan. Let the chopped chilli and a crushed garlic clove turn golden in the oil, then remove the garlic. Add the broccoli and cook for 10 minutes, adding a few spoonfuls of its cooking water if needed.

9. 9

   Cook the pasta

   When the broccoli is nearly done, mash the larger florets to make a creamy texture and add the prawns. Boil the paccheri in the reserved broccoli water and drain them when al dente.

10. 10

    Plate and serve

    Toss the pasta with the broccoli and prawn mixture. Warm the bisque and spoon it onto the base of the plates, then arrange the pasta on top and serve straight away.

What is paccheri with broccoli and prawns?

Paccheri are wide, tube-shaped pasta associated with southern Italy, particularly Campania. Here they are paired with prawns and broccoli for a dish that brings together seafood and vegetables.

The method builds flavour from the prawn shells in a homemade bisque, then uses broccoli cooking water to help cook the pasta and loosen the sauce. The broccoli is partly mashed, so it clings to the pasta while the bisque adds a savoury base.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 575 calories, 38g protein, 80g carbs, 12g fat.

The paccheri provide most of the carbohydrates, while prawns contribute much of the protein. Olive oil and butter supply most of the fat; broccoli adds fibre, though its quantity is not specified in the recipe. For a more balanced plate, serve the pasta with an extra portion of green vegetables.

Why the shells matter

Shells and heads: browning them before simmering draws out their flavour, while pressing the heads helps release their juices. Straining the blended mixture removes the shell fragments and leaves a smoother bisque.

Wine and tomato purée: these go into the pan before the water, giving the stock a rounded, savoury character. The recipe uses wine both for the prawns and for the bisque.

Keep the prawns tender

Quick frying: the prawns need only a couple of minutes in the pan before the wine is added. Set them aside so they do not spend the whole cooking time in the sauce.

Final addition: stir them into the broccoli when it is nearly cooked. This lets them warm through as the pasta is finished without prolonged cooking.

Get the broccoli texture right

Boiling: cook the florets for 5 minutes in salted water, then save that water before draining. It is used both to moisten the broccoli in the pan and to cook the pasta.

Mashing: crush the larger florets near the end of cooking, as directed, to make a creamy coating. Keep some smaller pieces intact for a mix of textures.

Use the cooking time well

Bisque first: its covered simmer takes about 20 minutes, after the shells have browned and the wine and tomato purée have cooked briefly. Strain it and finish it with butter before setting it aside.

Pasta last: cook the paccheri while the broccoli and prawns finish in the pan. The method gives a total time of 70 minutes, so have the serving plates ready when the pasta is nearly done.

Serve with the bisque underneath

Spoon the warm bisque across the bottom of each plate, then place the pasta on top as described. This keeps the rich prawn flavour present in each serving without mixing the sauce through too early.

Serve straight away while the pasta is hot and the broccoli mixture is still loose enough to coat the tubes. A simple green salad or lightly dressed vegetables can sit alongside it.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the prawn shells and heads after peeling; they form the base of the bisque.
• Pat the prawns dry before frying so they brown rather than steam.
• Press the prawn heads during cooking to release their juices into the bisque.
• Set a cup of broccoli cooking water aside before draining the florets.
• Strain the bisque through a fine sieve for a smoother result.
• Drain the pasta al dente and finish it in the pan with the broccoli mixture.

Variations

• Add lemon: finish with a little lemon zest for a brighter edge.
• Use dried chilli: swap in dried chilli flakes, adding them to the oil with care.
• Add parsley: scatter chopped parsley over the pasta just before serving.
• Make it milder: reduce or leave out the chilli while keeping the garlic.
• Use another short pasta: choose a sturdy tube-shaped pasta if paccheri are unavailable.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the prawns: fry them only for a couple of minutes, then set them aside until the final stage.
• Discarding the shells: reserve the heads and shells to make the bisque.
• Forgetting the broccoli water: save it before draining so you can moisten the broccoli and cook the pasta.
• Skipping the straining: pass the blended bisque through a fine sieve to remove shell fragments.
• Cooking the pasta too long: drain it al dente so it can finish in the pan with the sauce.
• Letting the broccoli dry out: add a few spoonfuls of its cooking water as needed during the 10-minute pan cooking.

How to store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water; the pasta may soften as it warms. For best texture, store the bisque separately if possible.

Frequently asked questions