Every home cook should have a few good pantry recipes up their sleeve. Usually when I am low on time and unprepared I make a pasta for dinner, it allows me to use up what is in the fridge and get creative with a few cans from the pantry.
Pasta puttanesca, and Pasta al Tonno are both great recipes to know how to make for just such an evening, so here is a hybrid recipe for you. It’s spicy and salty like a good puttanesca, but with protein and richness thanks to the olive-oil-packed canned tuna. If you aren’t lucky enough to have arugula in your garden, as I am, then you can always substitute for frozen spinach or arugula which is easy to keep on hand.
Spaghetti with Tuna, Capers and Arugula
(serves 2)
Boil a big pot of water, add a palm full of salt and add spaghetti. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain and reserve.
You should be able to make the sauce in the time it takes to cook the pasta, so get a skillet to medium heat. Add the olive oil, swirl the pan and then add the shallot. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add chili flakes and garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and crush them with your hands as you add them to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the capers. Simmer for another 2 minutes. Break up the tuna into large chunks and add along with the arugula. Stir until arughula is wilted. taste and add salt as needed. Toss with pasta and serve.
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