Cook this ancient grain puttanesca for your next pasta night dinner party! Its complex savory taste will impress your guests even though this dish is so quick and straightforward to make.
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The Story Behind This Ancient Grain Puttanesca
Puttanesca is one of my favorite pasta dishes, and it’s my go-to for when I want the comfort of pasta’s carbs, but I still want to make dinner in a pinch. I always keep the classic ingredients for puttanesca (capers, olives, cured anchovies, jarred tomatoes, etc…) in my pantry, so this dish comes together quickly, even on a weeknight. In this recipe, I put together these classic ingredients with ancient grain pasta made with flours such as einkorn, kamut, emmer, or spelt. Why ancient grain pasta? Check out the “why this ancient grain puttanesca is good for you” section of this blog post!
What Is It?
Puttanesca is a classic Italian dish from Naples in the 20th century. While there are rumors that it’s what prostitutes made in between clients, this origin story is still up for debate. The only important thing to know is that its umami and salty taste elements come from the cured anchovies, capers, and olives. Red chili flakes are often added for some heat, while olive oil adds the perfect fatty richness to this dish. My favorite dishes often combine quality ingredients to form a complex, delicious taste that makes you wonder deeply where the flavor comes from.
Why This Ancient Grain Puttanesca Is Healthy For You
If you are looking for an easy swap to make traditional pasta dishes healthier, look no further than ancient grain pasta. I use kamut pasta in this recipe because out of the four ancient kinds of wheat (kamut, einkorn, spelt, and emmer), this one is my favorite. Kamut, also known as Khorasan, is an ancient grain variety originating from the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia.
Kamut has a sweet nutty-buttery taste, firm texture, and a gorgeous golden hue. This grain is also a nutritional powerhouse as it’s a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, such as selenium. Although it contains gluten, ongoing research shows people with gluten intolerances may still consume this grain. (Note that if you have Celiac disease, this may not be the case. Please check with your health care professional to see if eating kamut is right for you.)
How To Make This Ancient Grain Puttanesca Nutrient-Dense
- Source wild-caught anchovies: Wild-caught fish aren’t as prone to disease and illness since they live in their natural environment. Compared to its farm-raised counterparts, it may also have higher levels of omega threes. Plus, I can guarantee you from personal experience that wild-caught fish will always taste better than farm-raised!
Tips
- Don’t add too much parmesan cheese to the final dish, as there are many salty and umami flavors from the other ingredients in the sauce.
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente (1-2 minutes less than what it says on the package) and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. This will ensure that the pasta won’t be mushy and overcooked when you serve.
Variations
- Try other varieties of ancient grain pasta like einkorn, spelt, or emmer. Whole-grain versions of these pastas also go well with the flavor of puttanesca sauce.
Other Pasta Recipes To Try
Ancient Grain Puttanesca
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes, jarred or canned
- 1 lb ancient grain spagetti or other noodle shaped pasta
- 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 cured anchiovie fillets
- ¼ cup capers
- ⅓ cup kalmata olives, pitted and chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- fresh flat leaf parsely, chopped
- freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
Prepare the sauce
- In a large deep skillet, heat up the olive oil on medium-low heat.
- Add minced garlic, cured anchovies, capers, chopped olives, and saute until fragrant and well combined being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until well incorporated.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and mix well with the rest of the ingredients while lowering the heat. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce is reduced just a touch.
Prepare the pasta
- While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente (1-2 minutes less than what it says on the package).
- Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid before draining the cooked pasta.
Combine the pasta and sauce
- Add the cooked and drained pasta immediately to the skillet holding the sauce.
- Stir gently until all the noodles are coated with the sauce.
- Add reserved pasta water if needed little by little until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
Garnish and serve
- Serve the pasta on a plate and sprinkle fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley on top.
- Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if using.
- Grate some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t add too much parmesan cheese to the final dish, as there are many salty and umami flavors from the other ingredients in the sauce.
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente (1-2 minutes less than what it says on the package) and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. This will ensure that the pasta won’t be mushy and overcooked when you serve.
- Try other varieties of ancient grain pasta like einkorn, spelt, or emmer. Whole-grain versions of these pastas also go well with the flavor of puttanesca sauce.
ancient grains, Italian, seafood