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Pasta Con Il Tonno(Pasta with Tuna)

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Submitted by Antonio

Pasta con il tonno is the classic Italian pantry pasta with canned tuna, garlic, dried chili, and tomato. A 40-minute weeknight dinner from the cupboard.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

20 min

READY

40 min

Pasta con il tonno is the Italian answer to a packed schedule and an empty fridge: a pantry pasta built from a can of tuna, a tin of tomatoes, a clove of garlic, and a dried chili. Forty minutes from start to finish, and the only thing remotely fresh on the list is parsley to scatter on top.

The Italian technique here is precise: garlic and dried chili infuse the olive oil, then both come out of the pan before serving. They’re flavor agents, not ingredients you eat. The tomatoes simmer down for ten minutes to concentrate their sweetness, and the tuna goes in last so it warms through without breaking apart into mush.

Chef Tips

  • Use the best canned tuna you can afford, ideally tuna packed in olive oil. Water-packed tuna gets shaggy and dry in the sauce, while oil-packed stays luxurious and flaky.
  • Don’t burn the garlic. Smash it with the side of your knife and pull it the moment it turns pale gold. Burnt garlic turns the whole sauce bitter.
  • Crush whole canned tomatoes by hand for a chunkier sauce, or buzz them in a blender for a smoother one. The choice shapes the final texture.
  • Reserve a half cup of pasta water before draining. A splash in the sauce loosens it and helps it cling to the pasta.

Variations

  • Add a tablespoon of capers or a handful of pitted olives for a puttanesca-style lift.
  • Stir in a small handful of pine nuts and golden raisins for a Sicilian twist.
  • Finish with grated lemon zest instead of parsley for a brighter, summery angle.

Ingredients

2 30
TABLESPOONS ML OLIVE OIL
1 1
EACH EACH RED HOT CHILI PEPPER, DRIED
dried *
10 10
MILLILITERS MILLILITERS GARLIC
cut in half *
28 809.2
OUNCES ML/G TOMATOES, CANNED
1
X SALT
to taste *
1 453.6
POUND G PASTA
cooked
12 ¼ 354
OUNCES ML/G TUNA, CANNED
drained
1
X PARSLEY LEAVES
chopped, to taste *

Directions

Heat oil in sauté pan and cook chile and garlic few minutes.

Cool slightly, then addtomatoes and salt to taste.

Cook 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package.

Add tuna to tomato mixture and simmer few minutes to heat through.

Remove chile and garlic.

Pour sauce over drained pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 388g (13.7 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 581 14% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 504mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 31%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Sugars g
Protein 63g
Vitamin A 6% Vitamin C 33%
Calcium 10% Iron 37%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Cholesterol, Trans-fat Free, High Fiber
 

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