Pasta with friggitelli peppers and raw shrimp
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Serving: 4
PRESENTATION
Pasta with friggitelli and raw shrimp is just one of those dishes that really, really captures the colorful heart of southern Italy. And you know what? It blends the tenderness of fresh seafood with a creamy pesto made from friggitelli—those sweet, green peppers unique to the region. Seriously good. This Italian shrimp pasta is such a great mix, with the creamy almond-pepper sauce and the delicate texture of marinated raw red prawns.
A citrus marinade brings out the prawns' natural sweetness, pairing so, so perfectly with the fresh, herby pesto. Toasted breadcrumbs? Oh, they add that satisfying crunch, creating a balance of smooth, crunchy, and a touch of tangy citrus in every bite. Unlike your traditional spicy shrimp pasta, this one feels light and fresh. Pretty simple. It's got that Mediterranean energy that makes summer meals so appealing.
In southern Italy, friggitelli peppers pop up in many recipes, but they really shine in this shrimp pasta recipe. Their mellow sweetness sets it apart from regular garlic shrimp pasta. Perfect for special occasions or those warm nights when you crave something refreshing yet rich. The pasta with shrimp and peppers? Quick to prepare but feels elegant. I mean, every bite offers a hint of the sea, thanks to the juicy prawns.
Some regions might add their own twist—like extra herbs or a splash of local olive oil—making each version unique. For real, if you're after an authentic Mediterranean experience, this seafood pasta combines simple ingredients to create a dish that tastes way, way more refined than the effort required. Each element plays its part, from the creamy pesto to the colorful friggitelli. Every mouthful is a celebration of southern Italian flavors.
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INGREDIENTS
- Bucatini pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)
- Stale bread 1.8 oz (50 g)
- Almonds 0.8 oz (20 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Garlic to taste
- Fresh chili pepper ½ tsp (2 g)
- for the raw shrimp
- Shrimps 7 oz (200 g) - red (blast-frozen)
- Fine salt to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Tabasco® to taste - green
- Lemon peel to taste
- for the friggitelli pesto
- Friggitelli (chili peppers) 6 oz (170 g)
- Almonds 1.5 oz (45 g)
- Basil 1 tbsp (2 g)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.1 oz (30 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil 5 tbsp (70 g)
How to prepare Pasta with friggitelli peppers and raw shrimp
To prepare the pasta with friggitelli and raw shrimp, cut the bread into pieces 1, put it in a food processor 2 and pulse until you obtain a coarse texture 3.
Slice about 3/4 oz (20 g) of almonds 4. Trim the friggitelli 5, halve them and remove the inner seeds 6.
Chop them into small pieces 7 and set aside. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan with the crushed garlic 8 and the chili pepper split in half, then add the bread 9.
Add the sliced almonds as well 10. Season with salt 11 and sauté everything over medium heat for about seven or eight minutes, so the bread becomes crispy and the almonds are lightly toasted 12. Once ready, remove the garlic and the chili from the mixture and set this aromatic bread aside.
Now move on to the main seasoning: place the friggitelli, the rest of the almonds 13, the grated cheese, a pinch of salt 14 and the oil 15 in a food processor.
Flavour with basil 16 and blend until you obtain a smooth pesto 17, which you will transfer to a large bowl. In the meantime, cook the bucatini in salted boiling water 18.
Then clean the red shrimp by removing the head 19, the shell and the intestinal vein. Cut them into pieces of about 1/4 inch (≈0.2 in / 0.5 cm) 20 and season them in a small bowl with salt, oil and lemon zest 21.
Season with a few drops of green Tabasco 22. Drain the pasta directly into the bowl with the pesto 23 and add a small ladle of the cooking water to well combine everything 34.
Plate the pasta and finish each dish by adding the crunchy aromatic bread 25, a grating of lemon zest and the shrimp pieces 26; serve the pasta with friggitelli pesto and raw shrimp immediately 27.