Penne with Prawns and Lemon Butter Sauce

Serves 4

Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

400g penne pasta

250g frozen prawns, peeled and deveined

3 tbsp unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

100ml dry white wine (optional)

120ml heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish

Lemon wedges, for serving

Method

Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving about 100ml of the pasta water.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they turn pink and opaque. Remove the prawns from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the remaining butter and minced garlic, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then add the white wine if using. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the wine to reduce slightly. Stir in the cream, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked penne to the skillet, along with the prawns and chopped parsley. Toss to coat everything evenly in the lemon butter sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs thinning. Grate lemon zest on top, to serve.