An easy tuna pasta sauce that is the perfect quick and healthy dinner recipe. Pasta al Tonno, tuna pasta, is a tasty, and budget friendly, pantry classic.
Ciao you beautiful people!
I wanted to thank once again the many of you who have reached out to see how I am doing, due to long periods of non-communication. All is well. During COVID times I was married, helped move my Mamma to Vancouver and completed my teaching degree. I’m still trying to focus on the good rather than the bad.
Below is a simple recipe which is an easy pantry classic which I grew up eating. Simple olive oil sauce dishes are a staple of most Italian kitchens and this one is a favourite of mine. Some protein, some heat and dash of freshness. I hope you try, enjoy and share it with others. Please let me know what you think and tag me along the way.
As for classes coming up I have a Teen cooking camp that will be hosted during Spring break. If you have any 12-17 year olds in your life who would like to spend four days learning the ins and outs of Italian cooking check out the link below or reach out to me. My last round of adult classes sold out in 2 weeks so here is the link to the preview of my March through May dates.
March through May Adult Classes (Tickets for April – May go on sale March 11th)
Teen spring and summer cooking camps (Tickets available for Spring Camp now)
Family and kids cooking classes, (Tickets available on March 11th)
Until next time let me know if you have any questions or how I can help you in the kitchen. May you all be healthy and always #EatwiththoseyouLove TM
Peter
Ingredients:
1 Can of solid white tuna – preferably packed in olive oil , but packed in water can substitute
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 Tablespoons of capers – more or less to your liking
¼ cup of finely chopped parsley – Italian preferably but curly is fine (curly is what we grew in our family garden as a kid)
¼ cup of finely chopped celery hearts and leaves
1 teaspoon pepperoncini/chilli flakes
450-500 grams of spaghetti or linguine
Salt and Pepper to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup of lemon juice
4-6 Litres of water for your pot
Equipment:
Large Boiling Pot for Pasta
Large Saute or fry pan for the sauce
Tongs
Wooden Spoon
Chef’s Knife
Measuring Cup
Splash guard, or lid for the pan
Table Spoon – It can be your regular soup spoon, as being exact is not important in this recipe. Taste is!
Easy Tuna Pasta Sauce
Fill your pot with cold fresh water. Set to high and cover. Bring it to a boil before adding your salt.
Add 5 tablespoons of Olive Oil to your cold pan. Add your minced garlic to the pan. Turn on your heat to Medium High. IE 7 out of 10. Saute the garlic until it just begins to go golden.
Once the garlic has begun to just turn golden, add your tuna. If the Tuna is packed in Olive Oil add the oil to the pan as well. If it is packed in water, drain the tuna well and add 2 more tablespoons of Olive Oil to the pan. Add your capers to the pan. Stir it all together.
Because of the moisture in the tuna and capers your oil may begin to splatter, so cover it with a splash guard or a lid. Cook everything for approximately 4 minutes.
Check your pasta water to see if it is boiling. If it is, season the water with salt so that it tastes like the sea.
Add your chilli flakes, celery, half the parsley, and lemon juice to the pan. Stir everything together. Cook for two more minutes and remove from the heat. Chilli flakes will burn if added earlier.
Add your pasta to the salted boiling water. Stir the pasta to keep it from sticking but DO NOT ADD OIL! This will coat your pasta and keep the oil of your sauce from sticking to the pasta.
Cook your pasta until just before Al Dente. Al Dente means to the tooth and your pasta should have a slight chew. Add a quarter of a ladle of pasta water to your sauce pan and return it to the burner set on a medium heat.
Also take some pasta water and add it to the platter or bowl you will be serving the pasta in. This will warm the bowl/bowls for serving.
Add your pasta to your sauce pan. Keep swirling, tossing, or mixing the pasta until it is completely coated with the tuna, capers, celery, parsley and olive oil. The pasta water you added should start to emulsify with the oil creating a very light sauce. This pasta will not be coated or dripping in sauce but lightly kiss the noodles.
Taste your pasta. Is it cooked to your liking? If not, add another ¼ ladle of pasta and repeat the steps above.
Taste the pasta to ensure it is al dente, and when cooked plate your pasta. Go easy salting everything because the tuna and capers are salty. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the top, season as you like, and finish with a dash of the remaining parsley.
Enjoy this easy tuna pasta sauce that is the perfect quick and healthy dinner recipe. From my Family table to yours remember to share, like and always #EatwiththoseyouLove TM
Love,
Peter
Find more recipes at https://www.pastaboypeter.com/blog/
Tuna Pasta – Pasta Con Tonno
Copyright Peter Ciuffa of Pasta Boy Peter Inc. 2023