tomato sauce

Penne Pasta With Tomato Tuna Sauce

September 29, 2021 by Marisa 32 Comments

Penne Pasta With Tomato Tuna Sauce is a simple yet delicious Italian tuna and pasta dish. It’s one I grew up with as a child and is still, very much a favourite to this day!

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 so crave and love. In Italy this philosophy is known as La Cucina Povera, or otherwise “the poor man’s 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 the Fall and wintertime we needn’t look any further then our own kitchen pantries.

The Star Ingredients For This Tuna Tomato Pasta Recipe Are:

Tuna, canned or jarred fillets (oil or water packed)
Passata, strained tomatoes
Pasta, of your choice

Canned tuna or even the tuna fillets sold in glass jars, are 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’re also wonderfully delicious tossed with green leafy salads and legumes for an extra protein kick.

But it also makes a rather enticing tuna sauce simply begging to be tossed over freshly cooked pasta. You will so appreciate the simplicity of tuna in a tomato sauce.

A good quality oil packed canned tuna is much more flavourful than 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.

What Is Passata?

Tomato passata is a purée of uncooked strained ripe tomatoes with a thick, velvety smooth consistency.

My parents, as with most Italian households, would traditionally make their own in the late summer season when tomatoes are at their ripest!

The ripened tomatoes go through a straining process in order to remove all its seeds and skins.

It’s an Italian pantry must have, as Passata is an excellent base for tomato pasta sauces or stews. And at my house, it’s never far from reach when making a quick no-cook pizza sauce.

Nowadays, store bought passata is readily available on most grocery store shelves. Look for jarred or boxed passata with a short ingredient list consisting of tomatoes and salt.

So far I’m loving the Mutti and La San Marzano brands (not sponsored) but I’m looking forward to testing and trying others.

Now let’s get started in making an easy and delicious tuna sauce!

How To Make Tuna and Tomato Pasta Sauce

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a medium sized stock pot and add in the chopped onions, minced garlic and the chilli flakes.

Step 2: Sautée on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the onions take on a translucent appearance.

Stir often while taking care not to burn the garlic.

Step 3: Stir in the strained tomatoes.

Step 4: Fill the empty bottle of strained tomatoes with water, about 3 quarters full while giving the bottle a good swirl and add it to the pot along with the dried basil, crushed black pepper and salt.

Stir well.

Step 5: Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook your pasta of choice according to package directions

Step 6: While the pasta cooks, stir in the tuna, kalamata olives and fresh basil to the sauce.

Sauce and Serve Pasta

When it comes to serving pasta with a tomato sauce, I’ve always followed in mamma’s footsteps.

I first drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Stir in a few ladles of tomato sauce and give it a good stir to combine.
Plate the pasta and top with some more tomato sauce and a sprig of basil.

Voilà! A gorgeous and delicious plateful of pasta!

I happen to love penne rigate or the smaller pennette rigate with this tuna and tomato sauce. The crevices and hollow centres make the perfect vehicle to hold a chunkier sauce. But feel free to use any pasta of your choice!

Impress your family or friends and make Penne Pasta 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!

Print Recipe

4.5 from 2 votes

Penne Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce

An easy and delicious penne pasta dish with tomato tuna sauce. It's made with canned tuna and kalamata olives for a quick fuss free dinner anytime of the week.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Penne Rigate with Tomato Tuna Sauce

Servings:

Calories: 513kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed chilli pepper
660 ml jar Passata Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 x 85 grams canned oil packed tuna drained or 190 gram jar of tuna filets.
1/4 cup Kalamata olives pitted and slivered
2 sprigs of basil

Pasta

450 grams Penne Rigate or other pasta of your choice
salt for cooking water

Instructions

Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce

Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pot over medium low heat.
Sauté the garlic, chopped onions and the crushed chilli pepper just until the onions are soft, while stirring often for about 5 minutes.
Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), dried 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. Stir well.
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 package directions.
While the pasta cooks, add the drained tuna, slivered kalamata olives and fresh basil to the tomato sauce. Allow to simmer till the pasta is al dente.

Plating Pasta with Tuna Sauce

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 basil.
Serve while still warm.

Nutrition

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

May 7, 2020 by Marisa 42 Comments

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy. Just about any sauce will compliment potato gnocchi.

What are Gnocchi?

Gnocchi are simply the Italian version of potato dumplings and can be prepared in limitless ways.

Today, there is such an extensive variety of gnocchi! Some are made with ricotta or squash while others are flavoured with beets.

There are also gnocchi where different flours are utilized, such as chestnut, buckwheat and also wholewheat flour.

Another version is made with semolina flour, milk, cheese and known as Gnocchi alla Romana.

These Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, however, is the type of dish I grew up with.

They were my number one request each time mamma would ask me what I wanted to eat for my birthday celebration. She never failed to remind me of the countless times I would help her twirl the gnocchi with my chubby little fingers!

How To Make Potato Gnocchi From Scratch

Start with a starchy potato such as the russet potato and you can either boil them or bake them in the oven.

Just make sure not to pierce or cut through the potato when boiling them, otherwise they will absorb too much water.

You can easily mash the potatoes with a fork but a potato ricer really does an excellent job of mashing the potatoes and it’s a good investment for one who often makes gnocchi.

Mix the mashed potatoes with the beaten egg, salt and work in some flour with your hands.

Knead the dough for a few minutes while working in a little more flour if sticking too much on your hands and work surface. It should be soft and pliable.

How To Shape Gnocchi

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the gnocchi dough into a 1/2 rope then cut into 1 inch pieces.

To shape the gnocchi, you can use a handy wooden gnocchi board but if you don’t have one, no worries!

I was taught to twirl the gnocchi using my index finger and middle finger by pressing both down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards me.

Alternately you can use the back of a fork to make the pretty indentations. The little ridges that form are a perfect entrapment for all that delicious sauce.

Tips for Making Potato Gnocchi From Scratch

Always start with less amount of flour than the recipe calls for. The moisture of your potatoes and the amount of eggs used will determine how much flour is needed.

Do not knead more than a few minutes as this would result in too much flour adsorption which yields heavier gnocchi.

It goes without saying to always use a big sauce pot when cooking any form of pasta. Drop a few at a time into the boiling water to avoid the gnocchi from sticking together.

Ideally you will want to make and cook the gnocchi within a few hours. Simply transfer the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly dusted cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel till ready to use.

Gnocchi can also be frozen. Transfer them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and place the tray in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag.

These exquisite potato gnocchi are very filling and therefore often served in moderate portions as a first course meal.

You’ll want to savour every bite! Enjoy the melt-in-your mouth sensation and never rush a good thing.

Above all, have fun and enjoy the process. After all practice makes perfect!

This recipe was originally published Sept. 14 2016 and updated May 7, 2020 with new photos and content.

Print Recipe

3 from 3 votes

Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Basil Sauce

In this dish, Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce, the humble potato is transformed into a melt-in-your mouth delicacy sure to dazzle family and friends.

Course: Main Meal

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Sauce

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

Gnocchi Dough

4 large russet potatoes about 2 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon beaten egg
2 cups all purpose flour approximately

Tomato Basil Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
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
1/2 cup diced mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

How To make Gnocchi

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Wash the potatoes under cold running water and pat dry.
Use a large knife and make a deep incision length-wise into each potato.
Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake until they are tender, for about 1 hour.
Let potatoes cool a little but do peel them while they are still a bit warm.
Put them through a potato ricer. Alternately you can use a potato masher or a fork.
Place the mashed potatoes in a large bowl.
Add in the salt, 1 tablespoon of beaten egg and 1 and 1/2 cups of flour.
Using your hands, mix well just until the flour and potatoes stick together forming a rough looking dough.
Transfer the dough to a wooden board or work surface.
Knead the dough lightly, gradually adding a little bit of the remaining flour if the dough is sticking too heavily on your work surface. (I did not need all of the remaining 1/2 cup more of flour)
Knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
The dough should be smooth, pliable and just a little bit sticky.
Cut off a section of dough at a time.
Roll the piece of dough with a back and forth motion until you get the thickness of your index finger.
Cut the roll into 1 inch pieces.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
To shape the gnocchi, I used my little wooden gnocchi board with ridges.
Alternately, you can use the back of a fork .
Hold the fork at 45 degree angle, with the tines down on the work surface with its' inside curve towards you.
Take a gnocchi role and press it with your index finger against the tip end of the fork while quickly sliding it up along the length of the fork tins.
Or simply use your index and middle fingers by pressing both fingers down into the gnocchi and rolling quickly towards you. The gnocchi will flip over and have a pretty indentation.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Transfer the gnocchi on a lightly floured cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel.
Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Tomato Basil Sauce

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pot over medium low heat and sauté the garlic with the crushed chilli pepper just until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. (should take less then a minute).
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 simmers, fill a large sauce pot with water and bring to a rapid boil.
Add salt to the boiling water and then the gnocchi.
Once the gnocchi come to surface they are pretty much ready. Leave them floating for about 10 seconds. (If they stay in the water too long, they will become mushy).
Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and place them on a serving platter.
Pour a little of the sauce over the gnocchi, stir to combine then mix in the diced mozzarella.
The heat of the tomato sauce will slowly melt the mozzarella.
Divide the gnocchi onto four plates. Top with more sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Serve while still hot.

Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce

August 23, 2016 by Marisa 33 Comments

These Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce are truly remarkable! If you are a seafood lover then you will certainly adore this recipe!

For one, it’s really rather simple to put together and can easily be made on any week night. Yet, so impressive and elegant enough to serve on weekends for that special person in your life. They do say that mussels are an aphrodisiac after all!

My hubby is not a finicky eater except when it comes to mussels and linguine with this spicy tomato fennel sauce. Then he can get quite specific as he prefers the sauce thick and chunky allowing the mussels to cradle all that delicious goodness in its’ shell.

Tomatoes and fennel pair wonderfully together in this dish. Also, the crushed pepper flakes lends a lovely contrast to the sweet fennel and might I add, a splash of white wine makes the whole dish livelier.

Being more affordable then other shellfish, mussels are very rich in protein and contain a lot of mineral nutrients. They also have far less fat and a 1/4 of the calories of beef making them a healthier choice.

Mussels prepared this way are really quite tasty on their own, especially when served with fresh crusty bread to mop up all the juices. I love to compliment them by serving them up with Linguine. They are so delicious and I know you will love them too!

Buon Appetito Amici!

*Tips on Buying and Cleaning Mussels:

When buying mussels, look for bright undamaged and closed shells. Stay clear of mussels that have dry shells as that is an indication of a dying mussel.

Mussels are fairly easy to clean. Simply place mussels in a bowl and fill with cold water.
Let them soak for 20 minutes. Soaking them helps the mussels to release the nitty gritty sand stuck inside the shell.
Clean the outer shell by scrubbing with a firm brush.
Pull out the beards by holding the mussel in one hand while using the other (with a small cloth) to pull the beard down towards the hinge part of the shell. Alternately, you may also use scissors to cut off the beards.

When cleaning mussels discard any that have broken or cracked shells or any mussels that do not close when tapped on a hard surface.

Also as a general rule, if any mussels do not open once cooked, I discard those as well.

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce

Mussels Linguine with Tomato Fennel Sauce.The mussels are smothered in a spicy, chunky tomato fennel sauce. Easy and delicious for any day of the week.

Course: Pasta, Seafood

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: fennel sauce, linguine, mussels, tomatoe sauce

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

2 pounds mussels scrubbed clean *(see tips)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced fennel 1/2 half medium sized fennel bulb
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced carrots 1 medium sized carrot
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili pepper
1/2 cup white wine
24 ounce jar Passata strained, crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large sprigs of fresh basil or a handful of chopped basil
454 grams Linguine

Instructions

Tomato Fennel Sauce
In a sauce pot, heat the olive oil over medium low heat.
Add in the fennel, onions, carrots, minced garlic and crushed chili pepper.
Sauté for about 6 minutes or just until the fennel and onions are translucent and soft.
Stir often taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the white wine and passata (strained, crushed tomato) with 2 cups of cold water to the vegetable mixture. Stir well.
Add in the salt, pepper and basil. stirring well.
Bring to a boil then lower the heat and let the sauce simmer till thickened for about 40 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.
When the water has reached a roaring boil, salt the water and toss in the linguine, stirring well.
Cook according to package instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, add the cleaned mussels to the tomato fennel sauce. Cover and let simmer for about 7 minutes. By this time your pasta should be ready. (Time it so that the linguine and sauce are ready at the same time.)
When the pasta is cooked, drain well and transfer to a serving bowl.
Top the linguine with the mussel, tomato fennel sauce.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Serve while still warm.

Lasagna

March 9, 2015 by Marisa 11 Comments

My mother was a kind and gentle soul. On Sunday afternoons she would happily look forward to the arrival of her daughters and grand-kids, greeting everyone at the door and after the initial “buon giorno” she would turn to her grand-kids and proclaim “mi sembra dimagrito”, you look like you’ve lost some weight. Come, come nonna will feed you! And so the Sunday feast would begin!!!

My Italian meals are often based on my own mother’s recipes. She truly made the absolute best Lasagna but maybe I’m just biased that way! It certainly was not a recipe that can be thrown together after a busy day at work. It was one reserved for special occasions like Christmas, Easter or even a birthday celebration. It was one she would take great care and time to create, making most of the prep work the day before and she would assemble and bake it the same day it was served. I will share her recipe with a special secret ingredient in a later post to truly do it justice!

This lasagna recipe I’ve adapted better suits a busy mom. It is one I have made over and over again for my own family. While you can use any canned tomatoes of your choice I highly recommend San Marzano. They are much sweeter and have low acidity and seed count and are by far the most famous tomatoes to come out of Italy.

This recipe serves 12 people. You will need a pan about 15 by 10 1/2 by 2 1/2, approximately.

My daughter and her friends are eagerly waiting for the recipe so here it is girls! Buon Appetito!!!

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb minced Veal
1 lb mild Italian Sausage, casings removed
2 28 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 5.5 ounces tomato paste (small can)
1 tbls dried basil
1/2 cup snipped fresh basil
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups water, approximately
375g lasagna noodles, oven ready (no boil)
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a large skillet or saucepan, add the olive oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, veal and Italian sausage. Cook on medium-high heat until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent using a wooden spoon to break down the meat as it cooks. Drain off the fat.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and both dried and fresh basil. Rinse out the tomato cans with the water and pour this into the saucepan. Turn up the heat, cover and bring the sauce up to a boil, stirring and checking it frequently. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Taste for salt at the end of cooking and add more if needed.

Preheat oven to 375*

Assembling the Lasagna

Coat the bottom of your lasagna pan with some meat sauce. Layer the lasagna noodles side by side in a single layer.You may need to snap off the ends on a couple of noodles to fit the pan. Spread meat sauce over the noodles to cover. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and one-third of the mozzarella. Repeat, layering the noodles, meat sauce and cheeses two more times. If you are running low on meat sauce for the last layer, just add some water to your sauce.

Cover loosely with aluminum and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

Let stand 1/2 hour before serving.

Serve and enjoy!!!