tuna pasta puttanesca
tuna pasta puttanesca
Recipe by Deana Saukam
There are a lot of origin stories for the famed Pasta Puttanesca. Some say that the dish was created to lure patrons into brothels. All I know is that tuna, capers, olives, tomatoes, and garlic make this the perfect quick one-pot dish that I’ll come running for any night of the week.
There are a lot of origin stories for the famed Pasta Puttanesca. Some say that the dish was created to lure patrons into brothels. All I know is that tuna, capers, olives, tomatoes, and garlic make this the perfect quick one-pot dish that I’ll come running for any night of the week.
- Prep Time30 min
- Cook Time20 min
- Total Time50 min
- Yield2
Ingredients
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 or more cloves garlic, thinly sliced and peeled
- 3 or more anchovy fillets (omit if using tuna)
- 2 cans of crushed tomatoes
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup pitted black olives (Kalamata or Leccino), preferably oil-cured
- 4 tablespoons capers (or more if you love capers – I use equal parts olives and capers), drained
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- One 5-ounce can albacore tuna packed in olive oil (omit if using anchovies)
- 1 pound linguine or other long pasta
- Chopped fresh parsley, oregano, marjoram or basil leaves for garnish, optional
Preparation
1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.
2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and reserve the juices. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juices, the basil, and salt to taste and cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tuna with its oil, breaking it up with a fork, and season with salt.
3
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and toss. Season with black pepper and garnish with more basil.
- Prep Time30 min
- Cook Time20 min
- Total Time50 min
- serves2
INGREDIENTS
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 or more cloves garlic, thinly sliced and peeled
- 3 or more anchovy fillets (omit if using tuna)
- 2 cans of crushed tomatoes
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup pitted black olives (Kalamata or Leccino), preferably oil-cured
- 4 tablespoons capers (or more if you love capers – I use equal parts olives and capers), drained
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- One 5-ounce can albacore tuna packed in olive oil (omit if using anchovies)
- 1 pound linguine or other long pasta
- Chopped fresh parsley, oregano, marjoram or basil leaves for garnish, optional
PREPARATION
1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.
2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and reserve the juices. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juices, the basil, and salt to taste and cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tuna with its oil, breaking it up with a fork, and season with salt.
3
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and toss. Season with black pepper and garnish with more basil.
