Pasta With Tuna, Capers and Scallions
There are countless ways to cook pasta using everyday pantry staples like garlic, bread crumbs, pecorino, capers, olives, and especially canned fish. One of my family’s all-time favorites is pasta with tuna, anchovies, and capers, topped with a generous amount of fresh herbs and scallions.I prefer using long, thin pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini, but you can use whatever is available for pasta. Even macaroni can be a hit and may even change the mind of a picky eater (although my own picky eater hasn’t been convinced yet).
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Servings 4
Ingredients
- Salt
- 12 ounces long thin pasta (such as bucatini, spaghetti, or linguine)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 3 scallions thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 6 to 10 anchovies chopped
- 3 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 cup torn fresh herbs such as parsley and dill, or celery leaves, plus more for serving (optional)
- 1 5 or 6 ounce can tuna, drained
- Red-pepper flakes for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Bring a well-salted pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and scallion whites, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the anchovies and capers, and cook until the anchovies melt and the capers and garlic turn golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and let it reduce until only a little liquid remains. Add the pasta and herbs, tossing well to coat. Gently mix in the tuna.
- Serve the pasta topped with red pepper flakes, additional herbs, scallion greens, and a drizzle of olive oil. Add lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.