I always have this idea in my head that Friday night dinners should be something a little fancier and more indulgent than the usual midweek meal. Growing up I always looked forward to Fridays because I knew I’d be getting something really good for dinner, and I’ve taken that mentality forward with my own cooking. It’s like a reward for making it through the week, right?
Last Friday I found myself home alone and wondering what to cook. I didn’t fancy making anything complicated just for myself but still fancied something more exciting than the previous nights leftovers! After a quick scour of my fridge I cooked up this garlic + chili prawn tagliatelle and promptly felt pretty damn pleased with myself.
From start to finish this dish only takes about 15 minutes. Despite being really quick and easy to whip up it still feels like a pretty sophisticated and indulgent meal, and it’s easy to scale up or down for any number of people. Ricky isn’t a fan of either chili or prawns (crazy guy!) so this garlic + chili prawn tagliatelle was a great excuse for me to enjoy both whilst he was away. The chili adds a nice kick to an otherwise relatively simple dish and makes it that little bit more exciting!
Do you always fancy something special on a Friday night? What do you like to make when you’re cooking for one?
Ingredients
- 180g tagliatelle
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 red chili, finely chopped
- 150ml white wine
- 200g cream cheese
- 200g cooked king prawns
- handful cherry tomatoes
- handful fresh basil, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the pasta to a pot of boiling water and return to the boil. Allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes until tagliatelle is al dente.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and chili and cook over a medium heat, stirring continually. Add the wine and allow to reduce by half.
- Stir in the cream cheese, prawns and cherry tomatoes. Stir for a few minutes until the prawns have heated through.
- Add the cooked tagliatelle to the frying pan and toss to mix. Divide between two past bowls and top with fresh basil.