Dive into the true flavours of Italian pasta with this Senatore Cappelli wholewheat calamarata, a shape that recalls squid with its characteristic wide ring. This speciality, made from an ancient durum wheat, stands for the best of Italian pasta making, joining tradition and nourishment in a dish of rustic, honest flavour. Senatore Cappelli wholewheat pasta, with its high fibre content and complex aromatic profile, lends itself to simple preparations that bring out its porous texture and decided character.
Calamarata is particularly suited to substantial sauces that can cling perfectly to its ridged surface and its central cavity, catching every drop. The shape, originally from Campania and now found all over Italy, is traditionally served on family and convivial occasions, perfect for a Sunday lunch or dinner with friends. The wholewheat version adds notes of toasted grain and a more rustic texture that recalls the flavours of another time. To explore the richness of Italian cooking and its regional traditions, visit the Slow Food website.
Senatore Cappelli wheat, from which this speciality comes, is a historic Italian variety rediscovered in recent years for its nutritional qualities and its distinctive aromatic profile. Grown by sustainable methods, this ancient durum keeps intact the properties of the whole grain, giving a pasta of amber colour and complex flavour, with notes of hazelnut and toasted cereal that develop fully in cooking.
History and Origins
Calamarata owes its name to its likeness to squid rings, a pasta shape rooted in the tradition of Campania, where fresh pasta and special shapes have always been a refined culinary art. The wide ring, with its porous surface and its capacity to hold a sauce, has over time become a symbol of quality Italian pasta making, adapting to all sorts of regional preparations.
Senatore Cappelli wheat, for its part, takes its name from Senator Raffaele Cappelli, who in the early twentieth century promoted the agrarian reform that led to the selection of this prized durum. This ancient variety, all but forgotten with the arrival of modern wheats, has been rediscovered for its low gluten content and high nutritional value. Today it stands as a presidium of biodiversity and a return to quality in raw materials, as upheld by the principles of Slow Food in protecting ancient varieties.
Ingredients
- 320 g Specialità Integrale Senatore Cappelli Calamarata
- 400 g peeled tomatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves
- Unrefined sea salt, to taste
- Fresh chilli (optional)
Method
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Step 1
In a large pan, fry the garlic in extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat until golden. -
Step 2
Add the peeled tomatoes, crushing them with a fork, and cook for 15–20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. -
Step 3
Meanwhile, bring plenty of salted water to the boil in a large pan. -
Step 4
Cook the wholewheat calamarata for the time on the packet, generally 10–12 minutes, keeping it al dente. -
Step 5
Drain the pasta, saving a ladle of cooking water, and tip it into the pan with the sauce. -
Step 6
Toss the pasta over a high heat for a minute, adding a little cooking water if needed to bring it together. -
Step 7
Finish with torn fresh basil and serve at once.
Wine and Beer Pairings
Tomato and wholewheat pasta ask for two different things. The acidity of the peeled tomato wants a wine that can stand up to it, or the sip falls flat; the bran of the Senatore Cappelli, on the other hand, brings a bready note and a light astringency that an aggressive tannin would double. The right route is a light-bodied red, or a saline white — not an important wine.
The Red We Recommend
Allegretto Valpolicella D.O.C. — Italo Cescon — On tomato, Valpolicella is the textbook choice, for a precise reason: it has the acidity needed to keep pace with the tomato's, and a tannin so light it never stiffens a mouthful of wholewheat pasta. The cherry to the fore picks up the basil, and the contained body leaves the palate clean. Serve at 15–16 °C, just cooled.
Want to know more about the grape? our guide to Valpolicella
If You Prefer a White
Madre Manzoni Bianco Biologico Vintage 2022 — Italo Cescon — The white works the opposite way: it does not accompany the tomato, it cuts through it. Manzoni Bianco smells of flowers and citrus and has a clean acidity that clears away the oil of the soffritto, and ageing on the lees gives it the roundness it needs not to seem thin beside the pasta. This is the summer choice, when a red weighs too much. Serve at 10–12 °C.
Want to know more about the grape? our guide to Manzoni Bianco
Craft Beer as an Alternative
Bold Helles Beer — chiara — A Helles is the beer of bread: pale malt, dry finish, four and a half degrees. On wholewheat pasta it brings nothing foreign — it speaks the same language as the grain — and the fine bead clears the palate of the tomato's acidity better than a wine would. Serve well chilled, 4–6 °C.
Want to know more about the style? pale craft beers
Serve It With
To round off the experience, the yeast-free crackers with rosemary offer a natural crunch that contrasts pleasantly with the softness of the pasta. The rosemary, with its balsamic notes, sits perfectly with the herbal hints of the fresh basil used in the recipe, making for a complete and balanced tasting experience.
Variations and Tips
- For a richer version, add pitted olives and desalted capers to the sauce, for a preparation inspired by puttanesca but in a wholewheat key.
- Try a creamy variation with rocket pesto and sheep's ricotta, where the bitterness of the rocket balances the sweetness of the wholewheat grain.
- In autumn, experiment with a dressing of sautéed porcini and grated lemon zest to bring out the earthy notes of the pasta.
- For a light dish, toss the drained calamarata with sautéed courgettes, fresh mint and a scattering of grated pecorino romano.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does cooked wholewheat pasta keep?
Cooked wholewheat calamarata keeps for a maximum of 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Bear in mind that wholewheat pasta tends to absorb more liquid, so it may seem drier when you come to eat it.
Can I use other wholewheat shapes for this recipe?
Absolutely. Shapes such as paccheri, rigatoni or wholewheat lumaconi work just as well, as long as they have a porous surface that holds the sauce. Calamarata, though, with its central cavity, is particularly good at catching the dressing.
Is Senatore Cappelli wheat suitable for people with gluten intolerance?
No, Senatore Cappelli wheat contains gluten, although in smaller amounts than modern wheats. It is therefore not suitable for coeliacs or people with severe gluten intolerance. For those needs we recommend dedicated gluten-free pastas.
