Lemon Tuna and Wheat Pasta with Capers

You know, sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.  This dish I am sharing with you today uses simple ingredients.  I would bet that many of you already have most of these ingredients in your pantry.  I am using a medium priced sauvignon blanc but a nice pinot grigio would be just fine.  The other thing I would like to mention is to use a good grade of canned tuna and make sure that it is packed in olive oil.  I believe it has a much better flavor and smells less fishy.

This dish is so easy to make, that it would be perfect as a week night meal.  I hope you will try and enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion or shallot, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. dry white wine
3 oz. jar of capers in brine, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped
3  4 oz. cans tuna fillets packed in olive oil
1/4 c. minced flat leaf parsley
1 T. lemon rind
juice from one lemon
salt and pepper
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti or linguine

 

Heat the olive oil in a 12-14 inch saute pan over medium heat.  Add onion/shallot and stir.  Cook until soft but not brown.  Stir in garlic and cook until softened.  Stir in red pepper flakes and cook for a minute.

Raise the heat to high, pour in the wine, and cook until most of the wine has evaporated.  Lower the heat to medium.  Stir in the capers and cook for a minute longer.  Turn off the heat.

 

In a bowl, flake the tuna into large chunks.  Do not drain the oil.  Add the tuna to the pan along with the parsley, lemon rind, lemon juice and black pepper.

Stir the ingredients and add salt to taste.  Keep the sauce covered and warm while you cook the spaghetti.  Bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil in a large pot.  Add 1 T. salt.  Add the spaghetti and continue to stir to make sure that the pasta is not sticking.  Cook the spaghetti until al dente.  Drain in a colander.  Immediately transfer the pasta to the tuna sauce.  Reheat gently, mixing the ingredients to combine until very hot.

Serve with an additional grind of black pepper.

It is traditional that no cheese is used on fish dishes.  Italians believe the flavors would be in direct competition.

Serves 6-8 as a first course or 4 as a main course