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Bob's Tuna Pasta

Posted by: Bob Hart | 11 August, 2011 - 2:14 PM

BOB HART'S PASTA SUPPER FOR ONE

Cooking for one is harder than it sounds. First of all, who is going to be impressed, however good your effort may be? And why should you allocate valuable time to cooking for yourself when you could be doing something else, and who would know?

Well, for me, those questions answer themselves. What's wrong with impressing yourself? And what could be more enjoyable, or more uplifting for that matter, than cooking? I can't imagine...

It is reasonable, however, to resolve not to allocate too much time to a meal for one. But equally, it is important that the meal is well thought out and delicious, however simple it might be.

Take, for example, my tuna pasta. It is simple enough but, if you ensure the (dried, Italian) pasta you use is of superlative quality, and you balance your flavours and textures correctly, you simply have to be impressed with yourself. Which is no bad thing.

So, put a large pot of water on to boil and weigh out around 120g of the sort of pasta that will hold a sauce - farfalle, ideally, although penne works well, also, as does fusilli. But not spaghetti.

When the water comes to a rolling boil, salt it well and toss in the pasta. Wait for it to return to the boil, give it a bit of a swirl to separate the pasta pieces and let is bubble away merrily. Set your timer for 10 minutes - or the point at the lower end of the packet instructions.

Now the sauce. Chop half a red onion and sweat it in a slosh of EV olive oil. Open a small (95g) tin of chunk tuna in oil with chilli (Sirena is fine). But before you remove the lid, open it partially and pour out most of the oil. Then open it fully and lift the small, red chilli off the top of the tuna. Chop this finely and add it to the onions, stirring it through as they sweat. When the onions are transluscent (about 2 minutes) add the tuna, along with 1tbs of capers and a splash of white while or dry vermouth (I prefer the latter, but please yourself). Break up the tuna and gently stir the mixture to combine it well and heat it through, cooking it gently until the pasta is ready - by which I mean still al dente, or firm to the bite, as it will cook a bit more as you allow it to settle and absorb flavours in the sauce

Tip the strained pasta into the tuna and stir in around 1tbs of the pasta water, or a bit more if you think it needs it. Splash in a little more of your best EV olive oil, a couple of tablespoons of chopped, flat-leaf parsley and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste it, and make any adjustments necessary. Pour yourself a glass of your finest white wine, or possibly a rose, sit down to dinner, and feel good about yourself.

RELATED CONTENT:

3AW Food - Eating Melbourne

3AW is Food: Melburnians love to eat so it's fortunate we live in the culinary capital of Australia. On this dedicated food page you will find the latest recipes by Bob Hart as well as Tony Leonard's Pub of the Week reviews. La Luna head chef Adrian Richardson also serves up a dish from his own cook book and food reviewer Ela Carte visits one of Melbourne's hottest eateries weekly.

Blog comments

Bob,
Could you kindly email me your special maynnaise recipe that you use in chicken sandwishes and also your seafood sauce recipe ..with grateful thanks
Bron

Bron Rees Wednesday 14 December, 2011 - 2:02 PM
could you email your special mayonaisse for chicken rolls thanks Marie

marie kennedy Saturday 19 November, 2011 - 10:50 AM
Please can I have your special mayonaisse for chicken rolls
thanks Trish

Trish Saturday 29 October, 2011 - 5:50 PM