A Lazy Sunday Recipe

It has been a while! I am sorry I have not found the creative strength to start posting food and recipes again. I've been doing a little bit of soul searching and abstinence from too much technology XDDD

Good heavens, I have missed my Friday mark for Fried Food Friday! I'm sorry, I will make up for it with two posts today. The pasta dish I am writing about this sunny afternoon is quite simple and filling. For native Italian speakers, Aglio e Olio means pasta with garlic and oil for the sauce. My Asian sensibility would think of the stir fried noodles with sauteed aromatic ingredients like shallots, garlic, and ginger.I have contemplated interpreting the dish in this manner, but held myself back because it wouldn't be Aglio e Olio if it wasn't prepared the Italian way.

Of course, my brothers were guarding my move in the kitchen when I announced I am cooking pasta for their afternoon snack. Both picky eaters agreed with my planned menu because before they could ask the golden question, I promptly said, "This doesn't have vegetables."

One does not simply cook for carnivores without adding an element of meat. So, tuna was introduced into the sauce.

Tuna Aglio e Olio

Ingredients

150 g. linguine or fettucine noodles
150-200 ml of pasta water
4 tbsp olive oil
4-6 large cloves of garlic. thinly sliced
2 small red finger chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 small can (approx. 350 g.) tuna in oil
2-3 tbsp oil from the canned tuna

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a deep-seated pan.

3. Saute the garlic in the hot oil. Cook until the garlic is almost golden brown. Then, add the chopped chilies.

4. Add the tuna, cut the chunks into smaller pieces with your wooden spoon. Add the tuna oil and let the flavors infuse for 2-3 minutes.

5. Scoop a ladle-full of pasta water and pour it into the pan with tuna-garlic mixture.

6. Simmer for 3-4 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Add the pasta into the pan and carefully fold it into the sauce to coat it evenly.

8. Serve onto a plate, add some grated parmesan and garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge. Goes very well with toasted baguette slices with herbed garlic butter.