Tuna Marinara Pasta Sauce

Tuna Marinara Pasta Sauce combines rich tuna with a marinara sauce enhanced with earthy cured black olives and briny capers. Use good quality canned Italian-style yellowfin tuna or feel free to grill or sauté an ahi tuna steak; either will work very well in this sauce.  Tuna Marinara Pasta Sauce is a long-time family favorite at our house which we discovered to have an unknown family history connection; the first time we served this at dinner with Vito’s parents, Vito’s Mom told us that this was his great uncle Louis’ favorite pasta sauce and it tasted just like his recipe!  Great uncle Louis had been the chef at the family restaurant in Vasto, Italy before he, his sister and her husband, who were Vito’s maternal grandparents, emigrated to the United States.  Imagine that!  Tuna Marinara Pasta Sauce from Italy to New Jersey to California, and now, to you!  Enjoy a Wilted Arugula Salad appetizer prior this main course, and accompany both with a very dry white wine.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 40 minutes Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 medium Onion, chopped, yields about ¾ cup
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• 10 Cured Black Olives
• ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes
• 1 Bay Leaf, preferably fresh
• 6 very ripe Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Tb Capers in brine, well drained
• Splash dry White Wine
• 2 5-oz. cans Italian-style Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil
• 1 Tb minced Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
• 3 oz dry Pasta per person; suggest Rigatoni, Penne, Mezze Rigatoni or Cavatappi

Preparation:

1. Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a 3-quart sauce pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion, sauté uncovered until the onion becomes translucent and is beginning to turn golden brown.
2. While the onion is cooking, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and pit and mince the olives and chop the tomatoes, reserving in separate bowls.
3. Add the minced garlic, minced olives, and crushed red pepper flakes to the sautéed onion, stir and continue to too cook, uncovered, over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, drained capers and white wine to the sauce pan; stir, cover and cook over a medium heat until the tomatoes have cooked down to a sauce. Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.
5. Mince the parsley leaves and set aside.
6. Add the tuna with oil to the sauce, stir carefully, taking care not to break up the tuna chunks too much; cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat, gently stir the minced parsley into the sauce.
8. Plate your cooked, well-drained pasta and spoon the Tuna Marinara Pasta Sauce over the pasta and serve immediately. Have some additional crushed red pepper flakes at the table, for those who want a bit more heat.