Everyday cooking
Tomato, tuna and caper pasta
A tomato sauce with flaky tinned tuna and salty capers suits spaghetti or linguine.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings / pieces
- 4
- Topic
- Everyday cooking
Tinned tuna does not need lengthy cooking. Add it near the end of this tomato sauce so it stays in recognisable flakes. Capers bring small salty accents, and the amount of extra salt depends on both the tuna and its packing liquid. Reduce the tomato base without the fish first. This keeps the method straightforward and avoids breaking delicate flakes through repeated stirring. With only a few fresh ingredients, the pantry-based dish makes four portions. Add parsley immediately before serving for a fresh finish, and adjust the coating with reserved pasta water rather than leaving it thick and dry.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Prepare ingredients
Drain the tuna and separate into large flakes with a fork. Drain the capers. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil.
- 02
Soften onion
Warm the oil and soften the onion over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then pour in the tomatoes with their juice.
- 03
Reduce sauce
Simmer the tomato sauce uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the capers and season lightly with salt so the completed sauce will not become too salty.
- 04
Warm tuna
Cook the spaghetti until nearly al dente, reserving 150 ml cooking water. Gently fold the tuna into the sauce and warm over low heat for 2 minutes.
- 05
Combine pasta
Drain the pasta and add to the sauce with 50 ml cooking water. Turn carefully for 1 minute. Add parsley and pepper, then adjust salt if needed. Loosen a dry coating with more water.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Tuna in oil or spring water
Either is suitable. Drain oil-packed tuna thoroughly and reduce the added oil to 1 tbsp if preferred. Tuna sold in firm chunks retains its structure more readily than very finely shredded fish. Open the tins once the other ingredients are prepared.
Choose and prepare capers
Drain brined capers; rinse them briefly if particularly salty. Salt-packed capers need thorough soaking to prevent overwhelming the sauce. Roughly chop very large capers. Their acidity and saltiness already provide some of the seasoning, so taste before adding more.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Will it work without capers?
Yes. Chopped olives make a different variation with their own flavour. Salt cautiously in that case too and adjust only at the end.
Why has the tuna broken apart?
Long simmering and vigorous stirring break the flakes. Add the fish late and fold the pasta with tongs instead of stirring forcefully.
