Sicilian Tuna and Anchovy Pasta

Today I have for you an easy Sicilian-style tuna pasta recipe that you will get in love with. All these simple ingredients like garlic, anchovies, capers, tuna, and pasta combine so well that you will think that all these ingredients were created especially for each other. This Italian tuna pasta is an ideal midweek dish when you need to cook something delicious and quick.

This simple Italian recipe is one of my go-to recipes when I need to prepare something quick and delicious without using a lot of ingredients.

You will get surprised by how easy this recipe is and what taste you will get on your plate.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Why you will love this recipe?

• It is a classic Italian pasta recipe that you can put on the table in under 15 minutes.
• You can make it from ingredients that we usually keep in the pantry. So this recipe is a lifesaver when your refrigerator is empty, but you need to prepare something simple, quick, and delicious.
• The ingredients are easy to find and not expensive, but you will be surprised by the taste you will get in the end.

What type of tuna should I use?

I used canned tuna preserved in oil because I had it under my hands, but you can also opt for tuna preserved in its own juice. If you opt for the second variant, add an extra tablespoon of oil.

What type of pasta should I use?

You can use any type of pasta you have at home. I prefer linguini or spaghetti.

Quick Note: I would not advise you to use pasta with eggs. Because these types of pasta do not go well with fish sauces.

Tips for making a better tuna pasta

• If you want to get a more flavorful taste, remove the pasta 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package, and these 2 minutes, prepare the pasta in the sauce you have prepared. By doing that, the pasta will get a more intense taste.
• Be careful not to boil the pasta too much because it will become sticky, and the Sicilian pasta will lose all its charm. It is best to prepare them “al dente.”
• Use a minimum of 34 fl. oz (1 liter) of water and a teaspoon of salt for every 3 ½ oz. (100 grams) of pasta.
• Be careful not to burn the garlic and hot peppers because they will give a bitter taste to your food.
• Even if you are not a fan of anchovies, I will recommend not exclude it this ingredient completely because during the preparation, it melts, but it will give an extra taste to the food that will be incomparable.
• You can also add to the recipe zucchini and broccoli. They fit perfectly in this recipe, and you will get extra nutrients into your plate.

Ingredients Needed for The Sicilian Tuna Pasta?

• 7 oz. (200 grams) of Pasta.
• 3 ½ oz. (100 grams) of Canned Tuna.
• 2 tablespoons of finely Chopped Parsley
• Lemon zest from one lemon
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of capers
• Chili Peppers to taste
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 3 fillets of Anchovies
• Salt & pepper to your taste.

Ingredients Swap:

• Chili pepper. You can replace it with dried chili flakes.
• Pasta. I used linguini pasta, but you can replace them with any other shape you prefer.
• Capers. If you can’t find capers, you can replace them with olives.
• Parsley. I consider this one of the cases in which parsley cannot be replaced with other aromatic herbs. If you don’t have parsley, then you better avoid it altogether.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

For two servings, take a large saucepan, pour about 9 cups (2 liters) of water, and boil it in the pan.

When the water starts boiling, add a tablespoon of salt and put the pasta in the water.

Read the instruction on the back of the pasta package to find the time for how long it should be boiled.

Meanwhile, while the pasta is boiling, take a frying pan and pour in it 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2-3 anchovies fillets, garlic cloves, a tablespoon of salted capers, and hot pepper to taste (you can also use dried chili flakes).

Lightly fry all these ingredients until you feel a pleasant smell of garlic (usually, it will take you no more than 2-3 minutes).

Quick Note: Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will become bitter.

When the above ingredients have flavored the oil, add the tuna and lemon zest to the pan.

Mix the ingredients well and remove the pan from the hob.

Let’s go back to pasta. When you have ready the pasta (al dente, watch the cooking time on the box), put the pasta over the tuna and the rest of the ingredients that we just prepared.

In this frying pan where we have all our ingredients, pour about ¼ – ⅓ cup of water in which we just boiled the pasta.

Quick Note: Adjust the amount of water depending on how liquid you want the sauce to be.

Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the pan to balance the taste and add extra freshness to the dish.

In the end, add a little finely chopped parsley over the pasta and mix well all the ingredients.

Our Sicilian-style tuna pasta is ready to be served.

Answering Your Questions:

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