Pasta with Tuna Sauce
Credit: André Baranowski
12 oz. dried spaghettini
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,
plus more for drizzling
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
2 half pints Homemade Canned Tuna
with their oil or 3 6-oz. cans olive
oil–packed tuna (undrained)
3 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Kosher salt
1. Bring a 6-quart pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghettini and cook until it is just al dente, about 8 minutes. Ladle out and reserve 1⁄2 cup pasta water. Drain and reserve pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp. of the extra-virgin olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red chile flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to high. Add tuna and cook, stirring and breaking up tuna into small chunks with a wooden spoon, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
3. Add reserved pasta and water and toss with tuna sauce. Cook, stirring vigorously with tongs, until sauce thickens and clings to pasta. Stir in parsley, season with salt to taste, and drizzle with more oil. Divide the pasta between 4 bowls and serve immediately.
SERVES 4
Had a craving for tuna noodle casserole but it's pretty unhealthy - this is healthier & olive oil based, so I made a spiffed up take on tuna noodle casserole. I used pouched tuna (no oil, no draining required -- I just added another TBSP of olive oil) because that's what I had (and it's what's in casseroles anyway). The pouched stuff is not as overcooked as the canned stuff at least. I added reconstituted porcini mushrooms (& peas) w/the tuna, adding the mushroom soaking liquid to the water before boiling. Breadcrumbs toasted in a skillet w/a bit of EVOO sprinkled on top.