Fusilli with Escarole and Mantis Shrimp

The recipe for fusilli with escarole and mantis shrimp is a dish that combines pasta with the flavors of the sea and terrestrial vegetables, typically Mediterranean. Here are the ingredients and the process to prepare this dish.

Ingredients

• 320 g of fusilli
• 200 g of mantis shrimp (or squilla mantis)
• 1 medium-sized escarole
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Chili pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 100 ml of white wine
• A bunch of chopped parsley

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the escarole by cutting the base, separating the leaves, and washing them thoroughly to remove any soil residues. Then roughly chop it.

2. In a large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil with the whole garlic cloves and a piece of chili pepper (according to your spice tolerance). Sauté until the garlic is golden brown.

3. Add the escarole to the pan. Cover with a lid and let the escarole wilt, tossing it occasionally.

4. In the meantime, clean the mantis shrimp. They need to be shelled and cleaned, removing the head and the shell, being careful to keep the flesh intact.

5. Add the mantis shrimp to the pan with the escarole and turn up the heat. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.

6. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fusilli al dente. Drain the pasta, keeping some of the cooking water.

7. Add the fusilli to the pan with escarole and mantis shrimp, mix well, adding some of the cooking water if necessary to make the sauce creamier.

8. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Fun Fact

Mantis shrimps, which in some dialects are called “canocchie,” are crustaceans with a delicate taste that are highly appreciated in Italian coastal kitchens. Their combination with escarole brings a balance between the slightly bitter taste of the vegetable and the sweetness of the sea.

Here you are, a Mediterranean dish full of taste and tradition!