Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce and Tuna

Years ago I watched an episode of David Rocco's La Dolce Vita which featured this recipe. I admit that I was skeptical at the thought of canned tuna in pasta sauce but watching the episode convinced me to try the recipe. It has become one of my go-to dishes.

With the exception of cream, I always have the ingredients in my pantry and even if I don't, I can find substitutes that work. In a pinch I use jarred marinara sauce instead of making my own. I may also use green olives instead of black.

I find the sun dried tomatoes to be a key part of the dish. The sweetness balances the strong flavors of the tuna and olives and they add a nice texture.

Assuming I have everything on hand it's relatively simple to pull this dish together. It takes 10 minutes for the pasta to cook. I start the sauce about 2 minutes after I get the pasta into the boiling water. By the time the pasta is cooked, the sauce is ready.

It's a great dish to take directly to the table in the pan and serve family style but works equally well plated individually.

La salsa di 5 minuti