I admire anyone with the ability to whip up a delicious meal at a moment’s notice using whatever’s left in the pantry. Without a cookbook, my kitchen skills are nonexistent. I’ve been searching for simple dinners to add to my family menu and was excited to try this spaghetti with tuna recipe created for La Cucina Italiana by Chef Alfred Portale, who I interviewed in January.
After minimal chopping prep, I cooked the spaghetti. I then made the sauce instead of preparing simultaneously since my timing is usually off creating sauce from scratch. No specifics were given for how long the sauce should simmer on the stove. I decided 17 minutes, roughly how long it took the water to boil and the spaghetti to cook.
What I love about this dish is the briny fish and chili heat are enough seasoning that tweaking wasn’t required. Although my plate looked nothing like Chef’s perfectly presented spaghetti tower, as I took a bite, I knew this was a keeper. Delicious!
*Portale, like most Italian restaurants in NYC, has closed its doors and shut down during the COVID-19 crisis. An employee relief fund was established for its entire staff who were all laid off. Please consider making a donation.
Spaghetti with Preserved Tuna, Capers, Calabrian Chili by Alfred Portale
Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce or canned tomato puree
3 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic - finely minced
8 anchovy filets - finely chopped
1 Tb Calabrian chili purée
2 Tbs capers - chopped
1 12-14 oz jar tuna, preserved in olive oil - leave in large pieces
1/4 cup black olives - chopped
3 Tbs basil – chopped
Method:
Heat olive oil in wide saute pan. Add garlic, cook 2-3 min. Then, add anchovy, tomato sauce, capers and chili purée.
Cook spaghetti in pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, approximately 6-7 min. Spaghetti will finish cooking in the sauce. Once cooked, strain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later use
Add spaghetti to sauce and toss over low heat. Add pasta water as needed.
Stir in tuna, olive oil and basil. Serve hot and… buon appetito!
Extra Tip: go to @lacucinaitalianausa Instagram account and in the Highlights you'll find Mary Jane cooking this yummy recipe!