Having my 3 Charlie’s Angel friends over. They will bring an entree, a bottle of red wine, and a surprise dessert. I bought 250 g of prawns, angel hair pasta, leek, breadcrumbs, and cherry tomatoes to mix with my leftover uncooked spaghetti and sauces.
“Prawns are versatile seafood known for their delicate flavour and tender texture. Low in calories and high in protein, they aid in weight management. Their pink colour comes from astaxanthin, an antioxidant that promotes skin and heart health. They contain essential minerals like iodine and selenium, and provide Vitamins E, B12, and niacin; support energy production. While higher in dietary cholesterol, they are low in saturated fat and include beneficial omega-3 fatty acids for brain and cardiovascular health.”
“Leeks are low-calorie vegetables related to onions and garlic, prized for their sweet flavour and health benefits, including support for heart health, digestion, and immune function. They are rich in Vitamin K and other nutrients, aiding in bone health, eye protection, and promoting satiety.”
“Cherry tomatoes are small, sweet fruits rich in antioxidants like lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C. They are versatile in cooking, low in calories, and high in water and fiber, promoting hydration and satiety. Their antioxidants may reduce the risk of chronic diseases and support vision through nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin.”
“Capers are the unripened flower buds of the caper bush (Capparis spinosa), preserved in salt or brine and known for their sharp, tangy flavour, commonly used in Mediterranean cooking. Rich in antioxidants like quercetin and rutin: help protect cells from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation, potentially benefiting joint health. With minimal calories, capers enhance dishes without compromising taste and provide trace amounts of vitamin K, calcium, copper, and iron for overall health.”
My 3 Charlie’s Angel friends and I enjoyed our girl’s nite. They said prawns was crunchy, comfoting and delicious meal. Let’s bring out air fryer and cook!!!
Ingredients
Air fryer crumbed prawns
250g raw, (tails left on for presentation)
1/4 c plain flour
1-2 eggs
1/2 c breadcrumbs
oil spray or oil
salt
black pepper or normal ground white pepper
Angel hair and spaghetti
200 g angel hair
150 g spaghetti
8 to 12 cups of water
1 1 1/2 Tbs salt
Leek chopped tomatoes and cappers
16 cherry tomatoes, chopped
3 Tbs capers
about 6 inches green part leek, sliced
about 3 inches white part leek, sliced
4 Tbs minced garlic
2-3 Tbs pasta paste
about 1-1 1/2 c of starch pasta water
salt
oil
pepper
Method
Prepare prawns and breading
Peel prawns shells, leave tails on, and deveined. Wash and pat really dry, and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, line a baking tray that fits in the air fryer with foil, spray it with oil, and set aside.
You need 3 separate deep plates. In the first plate, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Second plate place 1 beaten egg first. In the third plate, add breadcrumbs.
Coat prawns and air fry prawns
Take one prawn at a time, coat it in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Dip it entirely into 1 beaten egg. If not enough beat the second egg and pour into the plate with beaten egg. Finally, press it firmly into the breadcrumbs on all sides. Repeat for all prawns. Ensure each prawn is fully covered in breadcrumbs, to help it adhere well and give a nice crunch.
Preheat air fryer at 200 degrees C for 5 minutes. Place the crumbed prawns in a single layer in prepared lined baking tray without being overcrowded. Spray oil on to the prawns. Place into the cup of air fryer, then into the machine.
Roast until golden and cooked through for 8 to 10 minutes. Halfway through, after 5 minutes, Stop, take out the cup, and turn the prawns over and spray any dry spots with oil. Return the cup to the machine and continue roasting until cooked. Then transfer to a plate and keep warm under foil. Repeat the process with the remaining batches. Keep them loosely cover tented foil. Set aside until needed.
Water and salt ratio to cook both pasta
Fill a large pot with at least 8 to 12 cups of water so angel hair and spaghetti have room to move freely so it doesn’t clump. Bring the water to a rapid, rolling boil. Add about 1 1/2 Tbs of salt once the water hits a rolling boil. The water should taste slightly salty.
Cooking the Pasta
Spaghetti
Drop in the 150 g of spaghetti and stir immediately for the first minute to prevent spaghetti from clumping together. Let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes Start tasting spaghetti at the 8-minute mark. It should be tender, but still have a slight bite or “chew” in the center. Ladle about 1 and 1/2 c starchy pasta water reserved it. Carefully remove the spaghetti with tongs or drain using a colander.
Angel hair
Using the same salted water roiling earlier. Now drop in the 200 grams of angel hair pasta and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Angel hair tends to clump; stir it as soon as you drop it into the water to ensure the strands separate. Angel hair cooks incredibly fast. Start tasting one strand of angel hair using food clippers after 90 seconds to 2 minutes of boiling to ensure it doesn’t overcook and bite into it. It should be tender, but still have a slight bite or “chew” in the center. Drain immediately into a colander. Do not let it sit in the hot water, or it will turn mushy.
Cook leek chopped tomatoes and capers
Heat 4Tbs oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Next add both green and white sliced leeks and cook for 5 minutes until slightly soft and fragrant. The green portion is more fibrous, so cooking it slowly ensures it becomes tender without burning.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, and 2 Tbs of tomato paste first. Add the 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water to loosen the paste into a rich sauce. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes break down. Now add in both pasta and capers. You can reheat some air fryer prawns in the air fryer in the last 2 minutes of cooking pasta.
Toss pasta and capers around for 2 minutes to heat them through and release their briny flavour. If the sauce is too thick or the pasta is still firm, add another 1 c of the reserved pasta water and 1 Tbs tomato paste into the saucepan. The starches in the water will bind with the oil or tomatoes in the sauce, creating a glossy, silky texture. Turn off the heat and place the first warmed up batch of air fryer prawns on top of pasta just to garnish, while the second batch is in air fryer. Spoon onto some pasta into bowls and place some prawns. Serve with a glass of red wine. Enjoy!!!
Note: Cooking time might vary depending on the size of your prawns. Using hands, make sure to press bread crumb mixture well on both sides of the prawns to help it adhere well and give a thicker coating. You can use panko bread crumbs, it will be more crispy as I had seen on all the recipes I browsed.
For my other Leek chili tuna and chopped tomatoes pasta recipe:
https://helenscchin.com/2020/05/20/leek-chili-tuna-and-chopped-tomatoes-pasta/
For my other Air fryer potato chips crumbed prawns recipe:
https://helenscchin.com/2024/09/20/air-fryer-potato-chips-crumbed-prawns/
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