Prep:

1. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop the onion, garlic, red chilies, and basil as indicated in the ‘Ingredients’ section.

For the Spicy Vodka Pasta with Prawns:

1. Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot (or use the same deep sauté pan you’ll use for the pasta dish) filled with boiling salted water 2 minutes shy of al-dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside. (I like to run water over the pasta to halt the cooking process and prevent it from sticking.)
2. Cook the prawns: Rinse the prawns thoroughly and pat-dry with paper towels and place on a large plate. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Heat 1.5 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted and starting to froth, add the prawns and cook undisturbed for a minute. Then turn them over and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes, until no longer opaque and just cooked through. Switch of the heat and set the pan aside.
3. Sauté onion and aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until the onion has softened and the garlic is fragrant, but not browned. Add the red chilies and sauté for 30 seconds to combine.
4. Build the tomato sauce: Add the Calabrian chili pepper paste and sauté briefly to combine. Then add the tomato paste, chopped canned tomatoes, and season with white sugar, crushed red pepper chili flakes, ground cayenne, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Using the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, “smush” the chopped tomatoes, and cook for 6-8 minutes while stirring occasionally, until the tomato mixture has darkened and thickened. (Note: At this point, you can transfer the tomato mixture to a blender (or use an immersion handheld blender) to blend until smooth if you prefer a smoother instead of rustic-style sauce. Return the blended tomato mixture back to the pan and set to medium-high heat.)
5. Deglaze the pan: Pour in the vodka and deglaze the pan for 1 minute, until the vodka mostly cooks off and you can’t smell the alcohol.
6. Stir in cream: Stir in the heavy cream and add 4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, the bring the sauce up to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
7. Add cheese, pasta, and prawns: Stir in the cheese until melted. Then add the pasta and prawns, along with any butter in the skillet. Toss for 1-2 minutes, until fully coated in the sauce and the sauce has slightly thickened.
8. Stir through basil: Stir in the fresh Italian basil, then switch off the heat.
9. To Serve: Divide the pasta evenly onto plates and garnish with more grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, basil, and a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil from the paste jar if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!