Penne di Farro: better than whole wheat. Spelt Penne with baby peppers and shrimp in pesto sauce
This ancient grain traces back to early Europe, before wheat hybrids appeared. It’s also considered by some to be a subspecies of common wheat. Nonetheless, there is nothing common about the taste of spelt; its nutty, rich flavor and high nutritional value, make it an excellent alternative to whole wheat pasta.
Here I made Spelt Penne with some pesto and jumbo shrimp from the freezer, and added tri-color sweet baby peppers for texture and visual appeal. A colorfully delicious meal.
Ingredients for 4 portions:
~ half bag of your favorite gourmet penne di farro, cooked according to package directions
~ 8 jumbo shrimp, cooked, shelled and deveined
~ 1 cup of your favorite pesto (mine contained hazelnuts, pine nuts, and walnuts)
~ a dozen or so tri-color baby peppers, sliced across into rounds, and seeded
~ olive oil for sauteeing
~ fresh grated Parmigiano (optional)
~ chopped basil for garnish
Easy Directions:
In a medium pot, cook penne according to package directions. In another pot, boil some water for the shrimp and drop them in for a few minutes only. Remove from heat when translucent, dispose of shells and devein, where necessary. Meanwhile, sauté the small pepper slices in several tablespoons of olive oil until lightly softened. Add the shrimp to the peppers and gently stir together for several minutes before removing from heat. Thaw the pesto, if frozen, and keep warm, ready for use. Drain the penne, reserving half cup of hot water. Return penne to the pot, add the pesto, peppers and shrimp, and slowly add the hot water, tossing all to coast well. Plate the penne and sauce mixture, garnish with basil and add some cheese, if you wish … but remember that the presence of cheese in the same plate as fish is a big Italian no-no. So, if using … shhhhh!
RSA
