March 4, 2023
Gamberi all’Acqua Pazza
Italy is famous for its love of simple, fresh ingredients. A perfect example of this is Gamberi all’Acqua Pazza — prawns in crazy water. The rustic Neapolitan dish is a celebration of the sea and the Mediterranean’s abundant seafood. The recipe is said to have come from local fishermen who would lunch on fresh catch poached in an “acqua pazza” of seawater, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil.
The recipe for Gamberi all’Acqua Pazza comes from Justin Lyon, a former café manager turned personal chef, and is included in our cookbook. He said, “Just remember, the acqua pazza is not thin like broth, or thick like sauce, the acqua pazza should be…splashy.”
You can also poach whole fish (think small trout of snapper) or fillets of a semi-firm white fish like cod, halibut or snapper.
For a quick weeknight version of the dish try skipping the seafood, subbing canned tomatoes and chicken broth for the tomatoes and shrimp stock, and poaching an egg in the “crazy water.” Serve it over crusty bread with a liberal sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano and you’ll have a hearty meal you can make in less than 30 minutes.
Gamberi all’Acqua Pazza Recipe
6 servings
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes
2 pounds spot prawns
⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bushing and drizzling
6 garlic cloves, 5 thinly sliced and 1 left whole
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups water (approximately)
1 fennel bulb, shaved (white part only)
¼ cup capers
1 cup pitted Sicilian green olives, halved
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Macrina baguette
Salt
1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh Italian parsley, plus 1 big pinch for garnish
Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds until the skins soften. Peel off the skins, then core, seed, and chop the tomatoes.
Shell the spot prawns, reserving the shells.
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat ⅓ cup olive oil. Add 3 sliced garlic cloves, the onions and the prawn shells. Cook for 15 minutes, being careful not to burn the shells.
Turn the heat to medium, add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook until the tomatoes release their juice. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, approximately 5 minutes. Add enough water to cover the shells and let simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
Strain the broth, pushing on the shells and onions with a wooden spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the shells. Set the broth aside. This can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for a month.
When the broth is finished, add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a large saucepan. Add 2 sliced garlic cloves and cook over medium-low heat until just slightly colored. Add the fennel and cook until translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the capers, olives, and red pepper flakes just to heat through. Add the reserved prawn stock to the pan and simmer over medium heat until reduced by a quarter.
While the stock reduces, slice the baguette, brush each piece with olive oil, and toast (or grill) until golden. Rub the bread slices with the last garlic clove.
Add the spot prawns to the “crazy water” and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or until just cooked through. Season the broth to taste with salt. Add the parsley and stir to blend.
To serve, place on a large warmed serving platter. Tuck the grilled bread, half in and half out, around the perimeter of the platter. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with a healthy pinch of parsley. Finish with the lemon juice.
To drink: Pinot Bianco, Tavel, Bandol Rosé.
