Years ago, I discovered the culinary joy of canned tuna packed in olive oil. I love the meaty texture that flakes to perfection. There’s not a hint of mushy wateriness. It can be a delicious protein element in pasta dishes.
In this recipe, it teams with orecchiette, that small, round pasta with a concave shape. The name translates from Italian as “little ears.”
Just before serving, the dish is sprinkled with toasted panko breadcrumbs, giving the finished dish a lovely crunch. Buon appetito!
Yield: 6 servings
Salt for salting water
1 pound dried orecchiette pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium-size red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice, about 3/4 cup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 (5-ounces each) cans of olive oil packed tuna, drained (leave some oil in the tuna, just drain off the excess)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Optional garnish: Snipped fresh chives
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on high heat. Add orecchiette and cook until just al dente following cooking time on the package. Give the pasta a couple of stirs while it is cooking to prevent it from sticking together. Remove 1 cup of cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta in a colander in the sink; give it a good shake to remove excess water.
- Meanwhile, heat oil on medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add onion and cook about 1 minute. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to onion. Stir to combine and cook until garlic softens but doesn’t brown, about 1 minute (onion will still probably have a little crunch). Stir in tuna and dill; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved cooking water and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of water cooks away. Remove from heat.
- In a small skillet, lightly toast the panko breadcrumbs on medium heat, shaking handle very frequently to redistribute the crumbs. Monitor it to prevent burning.
- Serve pasta in shallow bowls topped with breadcrumbs. If you like, sprinkle with snipped fresh chives.
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com