I made this pasta dish one night after reading an article about how Americans include an alarmingly low amount of fish in their diet. I love seafood, but it's expensive, temperamental, and often time-consuming to prepare. Luckily this recipe is none of those things. Canned tuna–in oil or moistened with some in your own kitchen–is transformed in a sauce made sweet by onions and salty by olives. This is truly one of my favorite dishes–especially because it's so easy to prepare considering its wow factor when finished.

 

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Ingredients:

2 lbs penne pasta

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

8 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cans of diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

3/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 cup white wine

3 cans of tuna in oil (or, mixed with about 4 Tbsp. olive oil), seasoned with black pepper and garlic powder to taste

1 jar Kalamata black olives, pitted and quartered

2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

 

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente and drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat; sauté onion 4 minutes until limp.

3. Add tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, and garlic powder and sauté for another minute.

4. Add wine and boil until reduced, about 5 minutes.

5. Break up tuna, dropping flakes into pan. Stir in olives and parsely.

6. Stir pasta and sauce to combine and season to taste.