Gluten-Free Red Snapper Puttanesca with Parmesan Crust begins with gluten-free pasta, a nod to dietary preferences or allergies without compromising taste or texture. Flavor enhancers like red pepper flakes, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, black olives, red wine, anchovy fillets, and garlic cloves make this recipe a go-to. The red pepper flakes inject a subtle heat, while sweet cherry tomatoes add freshness. The umami richness from the parmesan cheese forms a crispy crust on the red snapper, creating a nice contrast. The black olives contribute their briny goodness, while the red wine adds a touch of depth to the sauce.
Hailing from Naples, Italy, this dish earned its reputation as the "lady of the night's pasta," featuring a bold flavor profile crafted from readily available pantry ingredients. Today, we're giving this classic simple recipe a modern twist, embracing gluten-free pasta and introducing a Parmesan-encrusted red snapper into the mix for a great weeknight dinner.
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Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Pastas (I like the texture of Barilla the best)
- Red Snapper Filets (you can use any white fish you like if you can't get Red Snapper in your area)
- Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs (I made mine with a food processor out of toasted gluten-free bread)
- Parmesan Cheese
- Egg
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Garlic
- Anchovy Filets or Anchovy Paste
- Red Chili Flakes
- Capers
- Black Olives or Kalamata Olives
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (or a can of peeled tomatoes if you can't find good cherry tomatoes)
- Red Wine (or a little red wine vinegar if you don't have any red wine)
- Lemon Juice
Instructions
Combine the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic and seasoning in a food processor and press onto the fish after it's been dredged in the beaten egg.
Saute the garlic and anchovies and then add the cherry tomatoes.
Continue cooking on medium-low heat until the tomatoes blister.
Add the olives and cheese, stir, and then add the cooked noodles. Add a little of the pasta water to get the sauce the right consistency.
Hint: Don't skip the pasta water. It helps to melt the cheese correctly and gives the sauce a better consistency.
Substitutions
- Gluten-Free Noodles and Breadcrumbs - If you're not avoiding gluten, you can use regular noodles and breadcrumbs.
- Red Snapper - You can use any white fish that you have available. Grouper, Talapia, and Mahi Mahi would all work.
- Cherry Tomatoes - If you don't have Cherry Tomatoes or don't like them, you can use Roma tomatoes, a can of peeled tomatoes, or even a can of diced tomatoes. Just make sure to drain the canned tomatoes first.
Variations
- Vegan - Leave out the fish, cheese, and anchovies.
- Less Spicy - While the red pepper flakes don't add a lot of heat, if you don't i
- Olives - Leave them out, and add more salt and a few drops of red wine vinegar.
Equipment
No special equipment. Just a cookie sheet with a wire rack to bake the chicken and a cast iron skillet for the sauce. You can use a regular large skillet as well.
Storage
The noodles and sauce can be kept in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, but the baked fish is best eaten right out of the oven. It doesn't reheat well with the gluten-free breading.
FAQ
A simple side salad with a lite vinaigrette is usually a great choice. Adding a piece of fresh garlic bread is also a nice addition.
It's a tomato base, which is layered with capers, anchovies, garlic, and parmesan cheese.
We catch our Red Sapper and usually cook it the same day or the following day. While there is some debate over rinsing saltwater fish with fresh water, we always do. No need to soak it, though we generally do soak it overnight is a bit of lightly salted water before we vacuum seal it.
Gluten-Free Red Snapper Pasta Puttanesca Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Wire Rack
- 1 Cookie Sheet
- 1 Large Skillet We like cast iron, but any large skillet will work
Ingredients
- 4 Each Red Snapper Filets Any firm white fish will work
- 1 Pkg Gluten-Free Pasta We used Barilla Spaghetti Pasta
Parmeasean Crust
- ¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Slice Toasted Gluten-Free Bread Or ¼ cup gluten-free bread crumbs
- 1 Clove Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste we used about ⅛ teaspoon each
- 1 Each Egg
Puttanesca Sauce
- 6 tablespoon Olive Oil (divided)
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 4 Each Anchovy Filets (Finely Chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- ¼ Cup Capers
- ¼ Cup Black Olives Or, Kalamata Olives
- 1 ½ Cups Cherry or Grape Tomatoes Or, 1 cup peeled or diced canned tomatoes
- ¼ Cup Red Wine Or, a sprinkle of red wine vinegar
- ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ¼ Cup Pasta Water maybe a little more, depending on the amount of juice your tomatoes provided
Garnish
- ¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Rinse the red snapper and pat dry.
Parmesan Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Combine the parmesan cheese, toasted bread or bread crumbs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small food processor and process until crumbly.
- Beat one egg with a couple of drops of water.
- Dredge one side of the red snapper in the egg wash and place on the wire rack on the cookie sheet. Continue with the rest of the filets
- Press the parmesan cheese mixture onto the top of each of the filets
- Place filets into the refrigerator until ready to bake
Puttanesca Sauce
- Heat 4 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, add garlic and anchovies, and simmer on low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- If using grape or cherry tomatoes, add to the skillet and simmer, stirring frequently until the tomatoes begin to blister. If using canned tomatoes, drain and add to skillet. Simmer on low for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove fish from the refrigerator and place in the preheated oven.
- Add the capers, black or kalamata olives and simmer for 2-3 minutes
- Add red wine and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes
- Add parmesan cheese and stir. Add pasta water to create the desired consistency.
- Add lemon and the remaining 2 tablespoon of olive oil and stir
- Add the drained pasta and stir gently; you may need to add a bit of pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
- Your fish should be done. Test with a food thermometer. It should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°. Once cooked, place a cup and half of the pasta on a plate, top with a filet, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
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Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 145 °F
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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