For ➍6 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into 1 cm dice
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbs seeded & chopped hot chilli peppers
1 fennel bulb, chopped into 1 cm dice, fronds reserved
700 g canned whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand, with juice
50 cl dry white wine
10 cl water mixed with 1 to 2 ts salt (or 10 cl seawater)
16 jumbo shrimps, peeled, heads & (or) tails on
freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until it is almost smoking.
Add the onion, garlic, chilli pepper and fennel.
Cook for 8 to 10 m, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is soft and light golden brown.
Add the tomatoes and their juices, the wine, and the seawater or salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 m.
Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 m, until they are just cooked through. Season with black pepper to taste.
Divide among individual deep bowls. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.
Serve with good tasty bread. A dry white wine, preferably South Italian or Sicilian, will make a nice companion.
This dish is a posh variant on pesce all'acqua pazza.
Picture shows Anita Ekberg in the most pazza of all Italian aqua, the Roman Trevi fountain in La Dolce Vita.
