Pasta al Tonno

Hi there everyone. Em and I have been talking recently, and we've decided that the blog will be a little more interesting if we start putting up some recipes. So I've decided to start with what I made for lunch today, which is pasta with a tuna sauce.


Yes, tuna.

If you're like me, pasta with tuna sounds a bit strange - I have to admit that the first time Emily said she was making it, I groaned. But the Italians seem to enjoy it and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that they generally have pretty good taste. So I tried it, and next thing you know Emily's out of town and I'm making pasta with tuna as my choice for lunch. If you can get over the novelty of it, it's pretty good.

Anyways, enough salesmanship.  Here's the recipe, it makes about 4 large servings:

Necessary ingredients:


1. Tuna packed in olive oil - OK, the crucial thing here is that you have to get the really good stuff. The average US tuna in the little cans like cat food won't cut it - you have to go to Whole Foods or a specialty store and get some really good tuna for this recipe to be better than just "OK". Mine was in a big can but often the good stuff will come in a glass jar, and it'll look like it has a much bigger grain (the flakes of meat) than the cheaper tuna. If you can find it, Callipo is a good Italian brand.

2. 1/2 package pasta - a thin noodle like spaghetti is best. When choosing your pasta, pick one with a slightly rough matte finish, like frosted glass. Smooth and shiny is no good. Why? Because the rougher the surface, the more the sauce will stick to it.

3. Olive oil - extra virgin cold press.

4. Capers - whichever ones you can find/have are fine.

5. 2 cloves fresh garlic - you can tell by pressing it with your fingers. Fresh garlic is hard, old garlic is soft.

6. Slice of lemon - normal lemon, don't use a Meyer because those are less acidic.

7. Onion - medium size white onion

8. Large tomato - crucial ingredient so get the best one you can find. It should be somewhat soft and delicate, be deep red, and have a strong tomatoey smell. The cheap waxy watery ones are no good. Anyways it's tomato season so you should be able to find a good heirloom pretty easily.

9. Salt - kosher is best, but whatever you have works.

10. Pepper - fresh ground, don't bother with anything else.

Optional ingredient:

11. Hot pepper flakes


Step 1:

Fill a big pot with water and put it on high heat. Add a fair amount of salt, this is important because pasta on its own doesn't have salt and if you cook it in plain water it will be very bland. Ever had salt-free bread? Ugh.

Step 2:

Chop the onion. Not TOO big, but there's no need to get out the ruler.

Step 3:

Put some olive oil into a saucepan, enough to cover the bottom but you can be generous with it. Good fats, right? Set the pan over lowish heat and add the onion.

Step 4:

While the onions start to gently simmer, prepare the tomato. Wash it and cut the stem out. Chop into about 1 inch sized pieces, you want to treat the pieces with love and not squish them. If you're in a foreign country and the tomato skins are giving you grief because you forgot a sharpener and your knife is crazy dull, remind yourself to pick one up.

Step 5:

Check on your onions, maybe swirl them around a little bit. You want them to become transparent, not to brown or burn. It takes a while. Pour a glass of white whine to reward yourself for your patience - you deserve it.


Step 6:

OK, now it's time to prepare the garlic. A handy trick to peeling garlic is to put the clove under a sideways knife like this, and smash down on the knife with your fist.


The smashed garlic will be much easier to peel.


Cut off the stem end and any brown/bad spots, and mince the garlic.

Step 7:

Check your onions again. They're probably ready by now, but if not, just drink your wine and wait. Think about philosophy or your unanswered e-mails or something.


When the onions look clear and have shrunk in size a lot like this, add the garlic and simmer for about a minute. Keep the heat fairly low cause you don't want that garlic to brown.

Step 8:

Add some capers without their juice, I used about a heaping tablespoon. Also here you can sprinkle on some hot pepper flakes, Emily and I think it really adds to the dish but it's probably not crucial.

Step 9:

Your pasta water should be boiling by now, if not then you are Speedy Gonzalez with the prep and should probably drink some more wine and chill out a bit. When the water is good and boiling, add the pasta and give it a little stir so it doesn't stick.

Step 10:

Add the tomato to your oil/onion/etc mix. You can turn up the heat a little, but don't go crazy with it. Simmer for about 2 minutes.

Step 11:

Now you can open your tuna and add some of that too. How much, use your judgment. My can was 11 1/3 ounces and I put about half. Don't break it up too much when you put it in, just flake it a bit and keep in about 1" diameter, thin pieces.

Step 12:

Sprinkle in some salt, a healthy pinch or two, and grind in a generous amount of pepper. Heck, while you're at it add in some of that white wine you're sipping on.  It can't hurt, can it?



Now turn the heat low and simmer for a few minutes until the pasta's done. If the pasta takes longer, you can turn the heat off.

Step 13:
Check on your pasta. Mine called for 14 minutes cooking time, and the timing was just about right by this point. Another little trick I like to use is to get a strand or two of pasta draped over my spoon, and see how it hangs.

If the pasta doesn't quite want to make the tight bend, like this, it needs more time.


When it makes the tight radius bend around the spoon no problem, like this, it's ready.

Step 14:

Drain the pasta, put it in bowls, and spoon your sauce on top. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, and if you're on a date or just feeling extra fancy put a sprig of parsley on top.


And now the only thing left to do is eat....enjoy!!!

**Note that I DIDN'T include parmesan cheese on top - the Italians don't put it on seafood dishes. If you really love parmesan and have to have some on top, just don't tell any Italians and you'll be fine. It'll be our little secret.**

I hope you try this, and I hope you enjoy it. It's tasty, easy, inexpensive, and doesn't create TOO many dishes to clean. If you do give it a shot, let us know how it turns out!