Penne pasta with king prawns, cherry tomatoes and lemon recipe

Our penne pasta with king prawns and cherry tomatoes recipe is proof that you can work wonders with just a few simple ingredients.

Evoke days in the Mediterranean sun with this penne pasta recipe with prawns and cherry tomatoes. Zesty lemon works to bring out the flavours of the seafood, creating a light and delicious dinner perfect for a spring or summer's evening. By heating the tomatoes with garlic, they absorb much of the flavour and a sprinkle of fresh parsley is the perfect finishing touch. Bellisimo.

Ingredients

• 400g penne pasta
• 2tbsp (20g) butter or low-fat spread suitable for frying, eg. Clover Lighter
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g vine cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 300g raw king prawns, shelled and deveined
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 heaped tbsp flat leaf parsley
• Wedges of lemon to serve

Method

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the pasta. Give it a stir and cook for 10 minutes exactly, uncovered. When the pasta is cooked, drain quickly and reserve the pasta water in a jug.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter or spread in a deep frying pan and add the garlic, and gently cook for 1 minute without colour. Add the tomatoes and cook over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes - resist the urge to stir them as this will break them down and you want to retain a little of their shape.
3. Pour 200ml of the pasta water onto the tomatoes and garlic and bring to the boil. Then add the prawns and continue to cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring until they are cooked through and have all turned pink. Just before serving add the pasta, lemon zest, season with freshly ground black pepper and parsley and toss through. Serve on warmed plates with a wedge of lemon.