This is a quick recipe we use during the rushed days. It is quickly done and can be stored and allows us to toss a meal on the table in a moment. Most of the ingredients are either canned or dried and it makes it also a good traveling meal when you are on a field trip. And the sauce always reminds me of summer when I crown it with fresh basil from the balcony.
Tuna Sauce:
- 150-200 g or 0.4-0.5 lb canned tuna
- 400 g or 1 lb canned tomato pieces or premade tomato sauce
- 2-4 onions
- 2-4 spoons of oil
- 2 teaspoons of herbs and spices (basil, oregano, powdered garlic and onion, black pepper, green pepper…)
- salt
- (optional: fresh garlic cloves, olives…)
This is a sauce for 4 people. Start with caramelizing the onions on a low heat. Use one spoon of oil for each onion. Sprinkle them with salt to make them release juice and prevent burning a bit. Remember to stir often and prepare your bowl with water for pasta in the meantime.
Once you lose the patience with the onions (or you actually manage to properly caramelize them) add the rest of the ingredients and let it simmer for about five minutes.
Now you just need to wait for your pasta to boil, mix it with this sauce, and serve with your favorite cheese. And the fresh basil, if available. Or parsley. Or… leave me a comment with your favorite fresh herbs!
Choose your tomatoes wisely:
You can buy or preserve your own tomatoes in many possible ways. Whole, diced, peeled or not… Or in a puree state. Each of these is great for a pasta sauce but will give you a different result. The crushed pieces will make a less moist sauce while the puree will cover the whole pasta. Your choice should depend on the pasta shape you are boiling for the meal. The more liquid the sauce the more “complicated” pasta shape you can use. The swirls and holes will hold and absorb the sauce while it would pour down from the smooth traditional spaghetti. The diced tomatoes will keep their moisture inside and they will create a nice visual effect on the plain types of pasta. Of course, you can combine a thick puree and a few tomato pieces.
More about the onions:
Onion is a magical vegetable. It is nutritious, provides us with fibre, and can have mild healing properties. And is a versatile kitchen ingredient. In its raw state, it is crispy and punching. When cooked, it turns mild and sweet.
The art of caramelizing the onions hides in letting the sugars in the vegetable change in color and flavor. This requires very slow cooking process over low heat. When talking about caramelization of the onions, you will see three main stages:
- the glassy translucent stage
- the golden stage
- the brown stage
The onions will loose water and shrink. Their flavor will intensify and the texture will turn softer and softer. For the needs of this sauce recipe, you can be happy with stage one or two. But, of course, feel free to experiment. And enjoy whatever you like.
Even quicker… kind of a sauce:
It is true that life can be very quick and we all have our hands more than full more often than we would prefer. During the really bad days, when we want a hot meal but we are too tired or on the run, we like to just let a few onions turns golden and mix with the tuna and some spices. And generously cover with cheese on the plate. It is nothing special but can fill the stomach and bring comfort.
Glenn's Nest 