Pasta with basil, tuna, olive and caper sauce

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
400 G; (14-16oz), (400 to 450)
; conchiligie (pasta
; shells) or other
; pasta shapes
Salt
1 small Onion; roughly chopped
6 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1 185 gram tin tuna; drained, flaked
2 tablespoons Capers; rinsed and soaked
; if
Salted; roughly chopped
60 grams Black olives; pitted and roughly
; chopped
75 grams Currants
45 grams Pine nuts
2 tablespoons Chopped parsley
3 Garlic cloves; chopped
4 Sun-dried tomatoes; roughly chopped
150 millilitres Water
2 tablespoons Shredded basil; salt and pepper
Ingredients; (cont)
16 larges Unblemished basil leaves; (16 to 20)
Olive oil and/or sunflower oil for deep; plenty of Parmesan
; frying, shavings

Directions

FOR THE SAUCE

FOR THE GARNISH

1 For the Sauce: Lightly saute the onion in oil in a saucepan and add the remaining ingredients, except the basil and salt.

2 Stir and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water has evaporated leaving a moist, richly flavoured sauce.

3 This can be prepared in advance and reheated when needed. Shortly before serving, stir in the basil, taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt only if really needed.

4 Put a large pan of salted water on to the boil for the pasta. When it reaches a rolling boil, tip in the pasta, boil and cook until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, pour sunflower or olive oil, or a mixture of both, into a small pan to a depth of about 3cm/1".

5 Heat until good and hot and test by dropping a small bread cube into the oil. If it sizzles and browns within 30 seconds, the oil is hot enough.

6 Fry the basil leaves in oil three or four at a time; fish out within 20-30 seconds, while still bright green. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining leaves.

7 To serve, drain the pasta thoroughly, tip into a large, warmed serving bowl, pour in the hot sauce and toss to mix. Top with the deep-fried basil leaves and shavings of Parmesan. Eat at once.

Converted by MC_Buster.

Recipe by: Sophie Grigson's Herbs Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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