Two-Fished Spaghetti

Every Italian home cook worth his or her salt has a recipe for spaghetti with tuna sauce. That’s because it’s a quick dish made from pantry staples and can be embellished or not, depending on what’s in the cupboard.

Italians always use tuna packed in olive oil, but tuna in water works fine. Here I’ve enriched the sauce with capers, olives and anchovies. Don’t think this last ingredient makes the recipe one for adults only. When you mash a few anchovies into warm olive oil, they melt into a subtle seasoning--even kids will approve. Honest.

Serve this with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil, salt and a little lemon or vinegar.

Napkin from Pier 1 stores.

Spaghetti with Tuna Sauce

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley, divided

1 small dried red chile

2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with juices

2 (6-ounce) cans light tuna, drained

1/4 cup small black olives, such as Nicoise

1 pound spaghetti

Coarse salt or sea salt

6 flat anchovy filets

1 heaping tablespoon capers, drained and chopped

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s transparent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and the chile, and cook for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices to the pan, and cook the sauce uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened, add the tuna and olives, stir gently to break up the tuna, and cook until the tuna is warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until al dente, slightly firm to the bite.

While the sauce is simmering, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pot. Add the anchovies, remove the pot from the heat, and, using a fork, mash the anchovies into the olive oil until they dissolve. Stir in the capers and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley. Remove the chile from the tuna sauce, then stir the anchovy mixture into the sauce. Taste the sauce, and add salt if needed. Drain the spaghetti and toss with the sauce.

4 to 6 servings. Each of 6 servings: 317 calories; 966 mg sodium; 25 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 3.07 grams fiber.

MENU

Spaghetti With Tuna Sauce

Tossed Green Salad

SHOPPING LIST

Dried ancho chiles

Salad greens

STAPLES

Canned flat anchovy fillets

Capers packed in brine

Extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic

Black olives

Onion

Parsley

Spaghetti

Canned diced tomatoes

Canned tuna

Red wine vinegar or lemon

GAME PLAN

30 minutes before: Bring large covered pot of water to boil. Chop onions, garlic, parsley and capers.

20 minutes before: Prepare sauce.

15 minutes before: Add salt and spaghetti to boiling water.

10 minutes before: Prepare anchovy mixture, toss salad.

5 minutes before: Add tuna, olives and anchovy mixture to sauce, drain spaghetti and toss with sauce.