Tuna and Spinach Pasta

Aromatic and meaty rather than fishy, this tuna pasta is a quick weeknight meal that delivers a punch of flavor.

Tuna and Spinach Pasta

Serves 2

I like using canned tuna as it is an easy, accessible way to incorporate protein into a weeknight meal plan. This pasta dish in particular went through a few mental modifications before I finally landed on this tasty combination.

Drained tuna is mixed into an aromatic base of onions, scallions, chili and garlic. Capers add briny salinity with lemon zest to brighten everything up plus, it’s fish and fish loves lemon. The chunky dressing rather than sauce is not particularly saucy. Finishing everything with fish sauce to reinforce the fish flavor and a little butter, increases the salt and gives the dressing a little body. Finished with spinach and the cooked pasta, the dashima in the pasta cooking water adds depth to the final product and is the secret ingredient in this dish. Serve with Korean pickled garlic for a punchy sweet/salty addition to each bite.

“Recipe Tips:

1. I think the dashima is truly the unsung hero of this dish but, if you do not have it, do not stress about it. The dish will still taste delicious without it.”

Ingredients

12g dashima

250g (1/2 lb) dried spaghetti

1.5 T olive oil

150g (1/2 large) onions, sliced thinly with the grain

50 – 60g (4 – 5) scallions, sliced on the bias

6 garlic cloves, minced

5 strips lemon zest, finely mined

2 T capers, minced

1 – 2 cheongyang or serrano chilis, sliced

0.75 t ground black pepper

0.75 t kosher salt

0.50 t ground ginger

200g (2- 5oz cans) tuna, drained

70g (1/3 c) white wine

2 T fish sauce

14g (1 T) butter

270g (a little more than 0.50 lb) spinach

Recipe Know-how

1.      Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the dashima.

• Add enough salt to make the water heavily salted.

• Keep hot until needed.

2.      In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high.

• Add the onion and scallions and cook 7 – 10 minutes or until beginning to turn golden and crispy slightly.

Add the pasta to the boiling water after 5 minutes of cooking the onions.

Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions.

• Add the garlic, lemon zest, capers, chili, pepper, salt and ginger.

• Cook for 45 seconds.

• Add the tuna to the saute pan and cook for 1 minute.

• Add the wine and cook 2 minutes longer or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

• Add the fish sauce and butter, stirring vigorously to emulsify.

At this point the pasta should be at the correct readiness. If not, allow sauce to sit on low heat until ready.

• Increase heat to high.

• Add 70g (1/3 c) pasta water and bring to a boil.

• Add the spinach to the pan, do not stir.

• Using a pair of tongs add the pasta to the pan.

• While shaking the pan, toss the pasta with the sauce and spinach for 2 – 3 minutes or until the liquid is beginning to thicken and reduce.

• Squeeze in the juice of the lemon.

• Continue to toss until the sauce has thickened, the spinach is wilted and the pasta has finished cooking.

Add additional pasta water 1 T at a time as necessary to make the sauce.

• Taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary.

3.      Serve with garlic jangajji (recipe here).