I love pasta, and being mindful of the importance of incorporating whole grains in my diet, whole-wheat is the way to go. My twist on this pasta is a Bolognesca sauce (combining bolognese and puttanesca). Add a couple of bottled anchovies in while preparing your sauce for a more authentic version.
Easy “Bolognesca” Sauce
Olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage
½ of a red onion, sliced
½ cup carrots, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup red wine
Salt and pepper
2 (14.5) ounce cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
¼ cup heavy cream (light cream may be substituted)
¼ cup sliced kalamata olives
1 tablespoon chopped capers
Spaghetti
Italian parsley
Parmesan cheese
*chopped anchovies (optional)
Sauté ground Italian sausage, onion and diced carrots in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, and tomato paste. Stir for a couple of minutes. Add red wine, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until the sauce has slightly thickened and the wine reduced a bit. Add tomatoes and their liquid, kalamata olives, and capers. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add heavy cream and stir for about one minute until heated through.
Serve with regular or whole wheat pasta, and garnish with fresh chopped Italian parsley and parmesan cheese.
