Equipment
Ingredients
Spicy Prawns
- 600 g raw large prawns, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 30 ml olive oil, divided
- 4 garlic, minced
- 4 g smoked paprika
- 2 g red chili flakes
Tomato Base
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Crispy Breadcrumbs
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided
Serving
- 300 g crusty sourdough bread, sliced
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 541 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbohydrates
- 60 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 1638 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 242 mg
- Potassium
- 841 mg
- Calcium
- 176 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 85 mg
- Phosphorus
- 388 mg
- Zinc
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 70 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 28 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 50 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 145 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 220C/430F. Ensure your oven rack is in the upper middle position.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, 15ml of olive oil, 2g of smoked paprika, and half of the chopped parsley. Toss until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated and take on a pale orange hue.
Pat the raw prawns completely dry with paper towels to prevent them from steaming later. In a separate bowl, toss the prawns with 15ml of olive oil, half of the minced garlic, 4g of smoked paprika, and the red chili flakes. Set aside to marinate briefly. Wash your hands thoroughly with warm soapy water after handling the raw seafood.
Heat the remaining 15ml of olive oil in a 25cm (10-inch) oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook without stirring for 2 minutes until they begin to blister.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Nestle the marinated prawns evenly into the warm tomato sauce in a single layer. Sprinkle the prepared paprika breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the entire dish.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The prawns must reach an internal temperature of 63C/145F and become opaque and pink, while the breadcrumbs should turn golden and crispy.
Remove carefully from the oven (the skillet handle will be extremely hot). Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing and thick slices of crusty sourdough bread for dipping.
Chef's Notes
- Patting the prawns dry is critical; excess moisture will water down your sauce and steam the breadcrumbs from underneath, ruining the contrasting textures.
- If using frozen prawns, defrost them safely by submerging them in a sealed bag in cold water for 20-30 minutes, not at room temperature.
- For a deeper, more complex flavor profile, you can substitute a tablespoon of dry sherry or white wine to deglaze the pan right after the garlic cooks, before adding the crushed tomatoes.
- Do not discard the prawn tails if you choose to peel them yourself; freeze them in a bag to eventually simmer with aromatics for a quick, potent seafood stock.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Breadcrumbs will lose crispness.
Reheating: Reheat gently in the oven at 180C/350F for 8-10 minutes until just warmed through to avoid overcooking the prawns.
Troubleshooting
Prawns are tough and rubbery
Cause: Overcooking during the baking phase
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Remove the skillet from the oven the moment the prawns turn pink and opaque. Residual heat from the heavy skillet and sauce will continue to cook them slightly once removed.
Breadcrumbs burned before the prawns were fully cooked
Cause: Oven rack positioned too high or broiler was accidentally engaged
Fix: Gently scrape off the severely burnt top layer with a spoon before serving
Prevention: Ensure oven rack is in the upper-middle position, not directly at the very top, and verify your oven temperature with a thermometer.
Tomato sauce is too watery
Cause: Prawns were not dried thoroughly before marinating, or the sauce was not simmered long enough
Fix: Provide extra crusty bread to soak up the excess flavorful broth
Prevention: Always pat prawns completely dry with paper towels. Simmer the crushed tomatoes until distinct trails are left when a spoon is dragged through the pan.
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from the coastal traditions of the Mediterranean, merging the garlic and paprika intensity of Spanish gambas al pil pil with the robust tomato-based seafood bakes found in Southern Italy. It reflects a rustic, communal style of eating where the flavorful oil and tomato juices are prized just as highly as the seafood itself, necessitating generous pieces of bread to ensure nothing is wasted.
