Puttaesque Pasta
Pasta but make it light.
August 12, 2020
This dish is perfect for when you crave pasta but not the heavy, bloated feeling you may feel after. Or, if you’re looking for a gluten-free and healthier option. And while I reluctantly accept some discomfort if it means I get to thoroughly enjoy my food; on most days I want to feel good and have the energy to keep doing whatever it is I have to do. Do I always eat how I should? Nope. But I try. This dish is me trying, and it hit the spot.
I call it Puttaesque Pasta because it has a heavy puttanesca influence. It doesn’t have anchovies like the traditional version (As it shouldn’t because those little tinned fish are disgusting!) but has a few personal favs as additions. I added garbanzo beans (So good, trust.), shallots, and swapped out wheat pasta for brown rice vermicelli pasta. Think of it as angel hair or capellini pasta. It’s thin and with a very, very subtle brown rice flavor. Normally the thought of that would turn me off- kind of like whole wheat pasta (not a big fan), but this is light in every sense of the word.
Check out the recipe below and give it a go.
I think this brown rice pasta is so gorgeous! Look at it! It’s so graceful. Okay, recipe below:
Puttaesque Pasta (Vegan & GF)
Serves 3
Cooking time: 30 min
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil- 1 tablespoon
Garlic cloves, -6
Shallots, medium size - 2
Canned tomatoes, diced or whole (doesn’t matter)- 14 oz
Black olives, pitted and sliced- 1/4 cup
Garbanzo beans, cooked - 1/2 cup
Thyme- 4 sprigs
Salt and black pepper to taste
Brown rice vermicelli noodles- about 4.4 oz (Which is half of an 8.8 oz packet.) *You can find these noodles at most Asian grocery stores or in the Asian isle. They are popular in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, so keep that in mind when searching.
Green onion for garnish (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl place your noodles to soak in warm water for 15 min, or as the instructions say on the package.
Thinly slice your garlic and shallots and add to a medium heat, olive-oiled pan. Sprinkle a dash of salt and black pepper. Cook until tender.
If you accidentally have the heat too high and the garlic is starting to burn, throw in just a little bit of water to stop it from cooking further.
Add your tomatoes and break them up into small chunks if they’re large. Season with a little salt and pepper, toss in your thyme, garbanzos, and olives and let everything flavor each other and allow your sauce to thicken a bit. Taste to adjust seasoning. Add some water if it gets too thick.
Boil the noodles for 1 minute, making sure to not overcook them. Test them even after 30 seconds in boiling water and remove once al dente. They can very quickly turn mushy, so move fast.
Now, plate it up and garnish! Enjoy. : )
