Spaghetti with Tuna

Originating in Sicily, spaghetti with tuna has become a popular dish in the Italian culture. The recipe was created in Sicily because the region is known for tuna hunting. The large passage between the Atlantic and Mediterranean is known to bring over 600 pounds of fish at the end of spring.

Although spaghetti with tuna isn’t one of my favorite recipes, it still has extraordinary flavors. My mom usually makes this recipe during the summer because of its light sauce and refreshing taste.

Here is what you’ll need for this simple, authentic recipe.

1 pound of spaghetti

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves chopped garlic cloves

2 tablespoons capers

1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes, chopped

1/2 chopped parsley

1 can rinsed and drained, white albacore tuna

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Cook pasta in large pot of rapidly boiling water until al dente or done to your liking.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Place olive oil and the garlic in a large sauté pan and turn heat to medium. Cook until the garlic is lightly golden. Add capers and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down and become a sauce, about 8 minutes. Toss with cooked pasta. Add parsley and tuna and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Nonna’s Minestrone Soup

Like many Italian dishes, Minestrone was probably originally not a dish made for its own sake. The recipe varies widely across Italy and it’s assumed that one did not gather the ingredients of Minestrone with the intention of making it. Many people make Minestrone from left overs while others follow a specific recipe.

My Nonna’s (grandmother) Minestrone recipe is very special to me. Nonna learned this recipe from her mother making it nearly 150 years old! When my brother was a baby, my parents couldn’t get him to eat baby food. My Nonna decided she would puree her traditional Minestrone soup and feed it to him instead. My brother was smart; it was the only puree he would eat!

Here is what you’ll need for Nonna’s easy Minestrone soup!

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ of an onion

3 stalks of celery

3 carrots

7 small potatoes

1 cup frozen green beans

1 cup frozen peas

1 can of red kidney beans

1 can of chick peas

1 ½ teaspoons chicken or vegetable bouillon

½ cup tomato sauce

6 cups of water

Black pepper to taste

First, chop onion, celery, carrots and potatoes.

Sautee chopped vegetables in olive oil on medium heat.

Next, add water, tomato sauce, bouillon, and black pepper. Let simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Then add peas, green beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans. Let soup simmer for 40 minutes.

Once soup is finished, serve into bowls and add grated parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!