Pasta with Sautéed Prawns, Garlic and Tomatoes

Ever wonder what the difference is between shrimp and prawns?  It turns out that in many cases, the words are used interchangeably.  In North America, small and medium sized shrimp are often simply called shrimp, while large shrimp are often called prawns.  Technically, there is a slight biological difference between the two, but for practical purposes the terms usually refer to size.  So whatever your fishmonger calls them, look for fairly large prawns (or shrimp) for this recipe.

Tip:  Ask your fishmonger to peel and devein the prawns for you.  If you don't have fresh, frozen pre-cooked prawns or shrimp can be substituted.

Ingredients

3 tbsp / 45 ml	extra virgin olive oil
12	large fresh prawns or shrip, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound/454 g)
12	cloves garlic, crushed
4	large tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp / 2 ml	coarse sea salt
	freshly ground black pepper to taste
	pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 cups / 1 L	loosely packed spinach, coarsely chopped
4 cups / 1 L	cooked whole grain pasta, such as linguine
1/3 cup / 75 ml	tighly packed fresh basil

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  When pan is hot, add prawns and sauté until they turn pink and are cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and garlic to skillet; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.

Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet, cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until tomatoes soften and begin to release their juices.  Add spinach; cook for another minutes, or until spinach is wilted.  Add cooked pasta to skillet, toss ingredients and cook until heated through.

Remove from heat and toss with fresh basil.

Serves 4.

Per 1 cup (250 ml) cup pasta and 1 cup (250 ml) sauce: 438 calories, 34 g protein, 13 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 50 g carbohydrate, 7 g fibre, 172 mg cholesterol, 548 mg sodium

Source: http://www.lesliebeck.com/book_detail.php?id=146&area=3