Pasta and Sicilian-Style Tuna Sauce with Raisins, Green Olives, and Basil
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
20 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil 6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)½ cup pitted green olives, slivered (about 15 large olives, or 2 ounces)½ cup raisins (dark)¼ cup red wine (dry)5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 (6 ounce cans) solid white tuna, drained well and chunks broken up with fingerstable salt 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces1 pound penne pasta or fusilli, cooked until al dente and drained, ¼ cup pasta cooking water reservedGround black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil and 1 tablespoon garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and sizzling but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add olives and raisins and cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 30 seconds. Add wine, 4 tablespoons vinegar, and sugar and bring to simmer; simmer until aroma bears no trace of alcohol, about 1 minute. Add tuna and 2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring frequently, until tuna is heated through, about 1 minute.
- Toss tuna mixture, remaining garlic and 1 tablespoon vinegar, basil, butter, cooked pasta, and reserved pasta water to coat in warm serving bowl. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.
Time
20 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
½ cup pitted green olives, slivered (about 15 large olives, or 2 ounces)
½ cup raisins (dark)
¼ cup red wine (dry)
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 (6 ounce cans) solid white tuna, drained well and chunks broken up with fingers
table salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 pound penne pasta or fusilli, cooked until al dente and drained, ¼ cup pasta cooking water reserved
Ground black pepper
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
½ cup pitted green olives, slivered (about 15 large olives, or 2 ounces)
½ cup raisins (dark)
¼ cup red wine (dry)
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 (6 ounce cans) solid white tuna, drained well and chunks broken up with fingers
table salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 pound penne pasta or fusilli, cooked until al dente and drained, ¼ cup pasta cooking water reserved
Ground black pepper
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
½ cup pitted green olives, slivered (about 15 large olives, or 2 ounces)
½ cup raisins (dark)
¼ cup red wine (dry)
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 (6 ounce cans) solid white tuna, drained well and chunks broken up with fingers
table salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 pound penne pasta or fusilli, cooked until al dente and drained, ¼ cup pasta cooking water reserved
Ground black pepper
Why This Recipe Works
For our tuna and pasta recipe, we preferred water-packed tuna, drained and shredded to a fine and uniform texture. Adding it to the sauce at the last minute and allowing it to just heat through kept the tuna moist and tender. Pairing it with carefully chosen flavorings and stubby, open, or tubular pasta shapes that trapped the sauce effectively brought our tuna and pasta recipe close to simple perfection.
Instructions
- Heat oil and 1 tablespoon garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and sizzling but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add olives and raisins and cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 30 seconds. Add wine, 4 tablespoons vinegar, and sugar and bring to simmer; simmer until aroma bears no trace of alcohol, about 1 minute. Add tuna and 2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring frequently, until tuna is heated through, about 1 minute.
- Toss tuna mixture, remaining garlic and 1 tablespoon vinegar, basil, butter, cooked pasta, and reserved pasta water to coat in warm serving bowl. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.
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