Gamberoni gratinati
This recipe is typical of the summer months in my home town, Pescara. It is always cooked with “pannocchie” a crustacean fish we do not have in Australia. What we do have however is a huge selection of top quality fresh green prawns to choose from. I have adapted the traditional “pannocchie” recipes to our brilliant Tiger prawns. The simplicity and deliciousness of this dish makes ideal for the summer months.
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Oven Baked Prawns Ingredients (for 4 people)
8 green Tiger prawns – the largest possible
1 cup of chopped parsley
1 or 2 chopped garlic cloves, as you prefer
3 tbs of breadcrumbs (white part of day old bread)
3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
A few drops of lemon juice
Salt and pepper and 1 tsp of chilli flakes
Oven Baked Prawns Cooking Method
Lay the prawns on a working bench and hold them with their back facing you. Using a sharp knife split each prawn across the back, starting from the body and ending with the tail.
Remove the intestinal track and flatten the prawns with your hands, you need to butterfly the prawns, leaving the head whole.
Mix the parsley, very finely chopped garlic, chilli flakes, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the olive oil one tablespoon at a time. You need to achieve a soft bread mixture to stuff the prawns, how much oil you use will depend on the type of bread you use. Add a few drops of lemon juice at the end, the mixture needs to be wet and oily.
Cover the prawn flesh with the mixture, making sure all the flesh is covered to protect it from drying in the oven.
Drizzle with a drop of olive oil and lemon juice.
Warm the oven to 200° and bake on a baking paper lined tray for about 10 minutes, until the bread is just crisp.
Serve hot with a drop of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil if necessary.
Serve with a salad of rocket leaves.
