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 1. 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. 2. 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 on.