Prawn and bacon macaroni

This prawn and ‘bacon’ macaroni is an ideal creamy pasta to those who don’t eat pork. The finely chopped prawns add a fabulous texture to the sauce!

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

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Ingredients

• 500 g macaroni pasta
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 500 g ‘beef’ bacon or smoky bacon rashers, finely chopped
• 500 g prawn meat, finely chopped
• 200 g parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided
• 250 g cultured butter, diced
• 200 ml cream (optional)
• ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Cracked black pepper, to serve

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, then drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking water.
   
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes, or until golden. Add the prawns and cook until just cooked, then add 2/3 of the parmesan cheese (reserve the rest to garnish!), butter and the reserved pasta water. Cook, stirring to thicken the sauce, adding some cream (if using), until the sauce is your desired consistency.
   
3. Add the drained macaroni and parsley to the sauce, stir to combine, then remove from the heat.
   
4. Divide the prawn and bacon macaroni between bowls and sprinkle with the reserved parmesan cheese. Crack over a little black pepper and serve.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Fast Flavour

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G