Pokaa 2021 – Mafaldines with seared prawns
Published on Pokaa on 18 June 2021 under the title « Recette de chef(fe)s: les mafaldines aux gambas snackees du Picobello ».

A sunny recipe from Picobello
Pokaa presents Le Picobello as the Italian restaurant on rue des Freres that celebrates traditional cooking with a small touch of modernity. After thirteen years near the cathedral, the restaurant is described as a lively place animated by a close-knit team and a menu rich in fish, shellfish and dishes inspired by many regions of Italy.
For this feature, chefs Nabila Safsaf and Ittou Elkaras shared a colourful recipe: mafaldines with asparagus and seared prawns.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 400 g long pasta such as spaghetti, linguine or mafaldines
- 500 g green asparagus
- Garlic, parsley, shallot and fresh basil
- 300 g ripe tomatoes
- 16 prawns or scampi
- Parmesan or pecorino
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce
- 1 sun-dried tomato
Recipe
- Make a persillade by blending half a bunch of parsley, five garlic cloves and one shallot.
- Cook the peeled green asparagus in unsalted boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes so they keep their colour.
- Brush the prawns with the persillade and set them aside while cooking the pasta for about 7 minutes.
- Saute the asparagus in olive oil so they take on colour and finish cooking, then set them aside.
- In a frying pan, cook two generous tablespoons of persillade, add the diced tomatoes, then the pasta, a little olive oil and lemon juice. Toss everything over high heat for about a minute.
- Sear the prawns and add a touch of sweet soy sauce to colour them.
- To plate, start with the pasta, then add the asparagus, the prawns, the chopped sun-dried tomato, a little lemon zest, freshly chopped parsley, a few basil leaves, salt and pepper.
Pokaa closes by inviting readers to enjoy the dish and come back soon to the terrace at Le Picobello.
Address: 21 rue des Freres, 67000 Strasbourg. Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.