Penne Rigate With Tomato Tuna Sauce is a typical Italian pasta dish that I grew up with.
It’s made with just a few good quality staple ingredients and packed full of wonderful flavours. This recipe is one you will turn to again and again.
As is common in most cultures and at a time when food was scarce, families made do with the very few ingredients they had on hand.
With so little they created simple comfort foods we now crave and love. In Italian this philosophy is known as La Cucina Povera, or otherwise “the poor kitchen” and truly born out of necessity.
This concept is far easier to embrace during summertime when gardens are lush with fruits and vegetables. However in wintertime we need not look any further then our own kitchen pantries.
Canned tuna is one of those staple items I always keep in my pantry. It’s ready at a moments notice for quick sandwiches as my son can attest…he just adored tuna sandwiches for his school lunches!
They are also wonderfully delicious tossed with green leafy salads and legumes for an extra protein kick.
However, canned tuna also makes a rather enticing sauce simply begging to be tossed over freshly cooked pasta. You will so appreciate its simplicity!
A good quality oil packed canned tuna is much more flavourful then the water packed variety and will elevate this simple sauce.
Also, don’t be too concerned about the oil which you will be draining out anyhow but if this is still an issue for you then by all means go for the water packed.
You can just about choose any pasta you like.
My preference and absolute favourite are pennette rigate or the larger penne rigate. I love this pasta shape for its crevices and hallow centre making them the perfect vehicle to hold a chunky tomato and tuna sauce.
Impress your family or friends and make Penne Rigate with Tomato Tuna Sauce tonight!
Or try another delicious pasta dish using canned sardines, Sardine Spaghetti with Chives.
If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Buon Appetito!
Penne Rigate with Tomato Tuna Sauce
Ingredients
- Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 small onion chopped
- pinch of crushed chili pepper
- 24 ounce jar Passata Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano
- 2 sprigs of basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 x 85 grams canned oil packed tuna drained
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives pitted and chopped
- chopped parsley for garnish
- 450 grams Penne Rigate or other pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pot over medium low heat and saute the garlic, chopped onions and the crushed chili pepper just until the onions are soft, while stirring often for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), basil, salt and pepper and stir well.
- Fill the bottle of passata three quarters full with water. Give it a good swirl and add this to the sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the sweet concentrated flavors of the tomatoes come through.
- While the sauce is slowly simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Salt the water and cook the pasta according to directions on package.
- At this point,while the pasta cooks add the drained tuna and chopped kalamata olives to the tomato sauce and allow to simmer till the pasta is cooked.
- When ready, drain the pasta and toss with some of the tomato sauce.
- Plate the pasta and top with more sauce and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
- Serve while still warm.