A Tasty Tuna Pasta Recipe
When it comes to pasta, there is a lot you can do. Sauces from pesto to amatricianna are just the beginning. When I think of making a pasta dish really special, my mind wanders to seafood. When done correctly, fish or shellfish bring deliciousness to sauces. One of my favorite fish to have with pasta is tuna. It is easy to cook and delicious, especially with a tomato sauce. The tomato helps bring out the meatiness in the tuna. With a few added ingredients, we can have a tuna pasta recipe that is easy to make and full of flavor with a little Mediterranean flair.
A good tuna pasta recipe will allow for fresh and canned tuna to be used interchangeably. Say what you want, but I think canned tuna can bring a good tuna flavor to the party and a can of tuna is cheap, nothing wrong with that. The odd thing about canned tuna – just thinking about it makes my mouth water. I am not ashamed to admit I like it. There have been many a tuna sandwich that I am still enjoying – even the ones that I was served in elementary school, rich with miracle whip and sweet relish! I wish I could call those lunch ladies and swap recipes with them! But I digress. If you are a purist and demand fresh, get the freshest tuna possible. It does not have to be sashimi grade tuna, either. I have noticed white tuna at my grocery. This is, in fact albacore tuna, the same stuff as in some of the canned varieties.
The tomato part of the sauce is simple – reduce a can of whole tomatoes with garlic and basil. This will never be wrong. It makes for a great foundation for a lot of great pasta sauces. Giving it a bit more zest though the addition of some capers and/or olives helps bring out even more flavor in the fish. You have to be a little careful not to add too much, as the briny flavor in capers and olives can be a bit strong, but they are worth it. I especially like capers because they give little flavor bursts as you bite into them and they can give a dish a real Mediterranean feel that is nice with a seafood pasta.
And cheese? Did you hear all the purists gasp? Cheese on an a seafood pasta dish or in a tuna pasta recipe may raise the hackles of many. Traditionally, cheese would not be put on these types of dishes, but I am of the mind that tuna is meaty enough to stand up to the umamai of a little parmesan. I like to toss the pasta in the cheese then put the sauce on top. I think this creates a nice layering of flavors. I know, I know. In other posts I have been a purist (not really, I always do what tastes good!). But the cheese in my tuna pasta recipe adds nicely to the dish.
Here is my tuna pasta recipe…
- 1 lb of long pasta, like spaghetti or linguini
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 8 oz cans of whole tomatoes
- 15-20 fresh basil leaves
- 1 lb of fresh tuna in a large piece that can be cubed or 16 oz of canned tuna in water
- 2 tbsp of capers, drained
- 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- a dash of red chilli flake, to taste.
- salt and pepper
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the manufacturer's directions.
- Peel and chop the garlic finely.
- Wash and dry the basil. Roll the leaves in a tight bundle and slice into ribbons.
- Cube the fresh tuna into 1/2 -3/4 inch cubes or drain the canned tuna.
- In a large pan, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is aromatic and begins to soften. Add the canned tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Add the basil. Allow the mixture to simmer until the tomato liquid is reduced by half.
- If using fresh tuna, add it to the pan and cook for about two minutes in the simmering tomato.
- Add the capers. Stir in the capers gently so as not to break up the tuna. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and the red chilli flake.
- Flip the tuna and continue cooking until it is just cooked through and becoming flaky. Remove the sauce from the heat.
- If you are using canned tuna, add the tuna and capers to the reduced tomatoes and simmer five minutes stirring to coat the tuna but being careful not to break it up.
- Drain the pasta and place it in a large, heat proof bowl. Add the cheese and toss to coat.
- Pour the sauce over the top of the pasta.
- Serve hot.
- For the purists out there, the cheese can be omitted. Instead of, or in addition to the capers, mixed olives can be added. Greek olive, both black and green, are best.
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