Tuna and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

I tend to post recipes that are labor-intensive, but here is a light little Naked Chef-type item that only takes as long to make as it does for the pasta to cook. It is perfect for nights when you feel like crap, and there's nothing in the fridge, but you don't want to eat an omelette. We are having it tonight, even though the fridge is full of stuff.

Ingredients:

2 cans tuna in oil (you can get the Italian kind in olive oil; it is nicer)
2/3 c sliced sun-dried tomatoes (just drained if packed in oil, or, obviously, rehydrated in warm water and drained if the rasiny kind. It's a lot cheaper that way.)
1 c tightly packed italian (flat-leaf) parsley or 1 c tightly packed chopped arugula (I guess there has to be one thing in the fridge)
2 to 3 T capers, drained
2 shallots, finely chopped
juice of one lemon
2 to 3 T olive oil
freshly ground pepper
1/2 c pasta cooking water, reserved
1 box penne, cooked and drained

Mix up all the sauce ingredients except water and mix into the pasta, adding water as needed so it isn't dry. Don't forget to save some of the cooking water when you drain the pasta. Italian people think it's vile to put grated parmesan on fish-containing sauces, but I don't think canned tuna counts, so lard it on. If it's not salty enough (hard to imagine, but possible) you might want to slip a few mushed-up anchovy fillets in there.

Comments

[Mitch Mills]

Nice recipe. I think the Italian law of no cheese with fish is generally sound advice, tastewise, but does seem to bend a little here and there, particularly when you get into cream sauces. And canned tuna does seem to occupy its own category somewhat.

Anybody have any insights into when/how that rule came about? It doesn't seem to be shared by the French, Greeks, or other neighbors. In fact I think I remember someone telling me that Sicilians don't mind mixing cheese and seafood. Maybe heretical Norman (or Moorish?) influence? But Italians who adhere to it seem to have a very strong gut-level reaction when they see it broken, i.e. it's not just a bad idea, it's Wrong and disgusting.

Anyway, might I suggest using the salt-packed capers if you can get your hands on them? Much much better, in my book.

Also, if you use the oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, you can use some of the oil they're packed in instead of just plain olive oil to increase that lovely SDT flavor. Or, if you use the dried kind, you can use the soaking water from them in place of the reserved pasta water, for the same reason.

[Belle Waring]

I actually think Sicilian people don't put cheese on their seafood dishes either. I think the best meal I've ever had was at a seafood restaurant in Sicily where you got to pick out the raw fish/seafood from big ice trays at the entrance and then they just grilled them with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. And we also had sea urchins and tasty sweet sparkling wine. Ummmmm. It is funny how strongly Italian people feel about the no cheese on your seafood pasta thing; it really grosses them out.

The oil in the sun-dried tomatoes is often not olive oil, so I don't think of using it, but I bet you're right that it would be good (or maybe I should buy more expensive sun-dried tomatoes.) I don't know if I can get those salt-packed capers here, although thre is one Italian deli. It has prepared food so expensive that I feel homesick for the cheaper Barefoot Contessa in East Hampton.

[woof]

The news from Rome: generally the rule holds everywhere. There are a few exceptions in the current cuisine: for example, anchovy-pecorino on fresh angel hair pasta (trattoria Monti, Esquilino, Rome). Or some odd couples: the typical Roman stuffed fried zucchine flowers have mozzarella and anchovies, as do nouvelle pasta variations on the theme (Antico Arco, Gianicolo, Rome). One of the best dishes I've had in my life was in Genoa, in a little osteria called "Ugo" in the alleys near the port. Anchovies open butterfly-style stuffed with grana padano and fresh herbs, breaded in lots of egg and fried. I spent about ten minutes in adoring silence before attacking dessert (3 courses for less than 12 euro, btw).

[Mitch Mills]

Adoring silence, for less than 12 euros. Dammit woof, much more of that and you'll have us all frantically searching for airline tickets!

Anchovies seem to be the thin end of the wedge, or the camel's nose under the tent (whichever you prefer). Maybe because they're salty and strongly-flavored and can hold their own against cheese?

[T Albacore]

Wow.. what a great site. I love the Tuna recipes. I was wondering if I could them to my site? My site is dedicated to the Great Tuna Fish. I even keep a blog of all my Daily tuna activity. Just checking..

[Belle Waring]

Sure thing, unhealthily obsessed with tuna person. Just credit us, OK? Happy tuna related program activities!