Not so long ago, whole-wheat pasta tasted too much like the boxes it came in.
Much has changed. At many grocers, the whole-wheat or multi-grain pasta selection can take up more than a quarter of the section, and the quality and taste have improved considerably.
Of course, the flavours of some dishes are specifically created for whole-grain flavours, such as bigoli (a traditional Italian buckwheat pasta) with caramelized onions and anchovies.
Whole-grain pasta with shrimp, tomatoes and feta cheese is another delicious example of this kind of flavour pairing.
Healthy, low-in-fat shrimp, acidic tomatoes, pungent garlic, oregano and salty olives and feta cheese balance out whole-grain linguine.
WHOLE-GRAIN PASTA WITH SHRIMP, TOMATOES AND FETA CHEESE
15 ml (1 Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
15 ml (1 Tbsp) finely chopped garlic
1 can (796 ml/28 oz) whole tomatoes, chopped, with 150 ml (2/3 cup) of the juice reserved
125 ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
45 ml (3 Tbsp) chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
2 ml (1/2 tsp) dried oregano
500 g (1 lb) medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 black olives, coarsely chopped
2 ml (1/2 tsp) grated lemon zest
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
500 g (1 lb) whole-grain linguine
125 ml (1/2 cup) crumbled feta cheese
In a large saucepan over medium, heat oil. Add onion and saute until it begins to colour, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds more. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, wine, 30 ml (2 Tbsp) of the parsley and oregano. Bring to a simmer. Cook over low, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
While water heats, add shrimp, olives and lemon zest to tomato sauce and simmer until shrimp are opaque at the centre, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and serve topped with sauce and sprinkled with feta cheese and remaining 15 ml (1 Tbsp) chopped parsley. Makes 6 servings.
