Even though my kid went back to school this year (kindergarten, waaah!), September always pulls me back into my own childhood and the exhausting, exhilarating first weeks of school. And this year I cannot stop thinking about my mom’s cold tuna pasta. Growing up, my mother worked as a caterer, and she kept this dish in heavy rotation both at home and on the job. As a kid, I thought she made it a lot just because it was good. Now I understand: This pasta is also filling and surprising and fast‚ not to mention made mostly with pantry ingredients. A true pinch-hitter for the chaos of fall.
The recipe comes from a ’90s classic, The Working Families Cookbook (currently out of print, but widely available used!). This linguine is nothing like the mayonnaise-y stuff I picture when someone mentions tuna pasta. It’s bright and briny and balanced with toasted pine nuts. And, not for nothing, I was not into fish until I was like 30, but the tuna element never phased me as a kid.
The original recipe doesn’t instruct you to serve it cold, but that’s how I’ve typically had it (because leftovers), and personally I think that’s when it’s at its best. I like to make a big batch on a Sunday evening, enjoy the first round at room temp for dinner, and then stash the rest in the fridge for Monday’s lunch. No reheating required!
Linguine with Tuna
Very lightly adapted from The Working Families Cookbook, by Irena Chalmers
3 tbsp pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
8-ounce jar of roasted red peppers
16 ounces linguine
1 can oil-packed tuna (water-packed will do fine in a pinch!)
juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp capers
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Toast pine nuts in a dry pan over a medium heat. Once they start to turn brown and aromatic, quickly yank them off the heat and put them in a small dish for later. Next, add the oil and onion to the pan and cook for about five minutes over a medium heat, until the onion softens. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan. With a fork, pull your peppers from the jar and give them a shake before popping them into the pan. If the peppers seem too big to bite, use a spatula to break them up a bit in the pan. Sauté everything together for 3-4 minutes, nudging occasionally with your spatula. Remove from heat and let sit.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add your pasta. Cook times can vary a little (check the instructions on your box), but I like to cook until al dente. The bite is nice! Pour pasta into a strainer, and leave it to drain while you finish the rest. Scoop the tuna into a serving bowl and break it up a little with a fork. Add the lemon juice, capers, and parsley, and give it a quick stir. Combine pasta with the other ingredients (except the pine nuts), and toss everything together with your fork or some tongs. FYI: It will never look even or uniform, so don’t worry about tossing until it’s perfect. I promise, it will taste just right.
Serve immediately — or not! Cover with a cloth and leave it on the counter for 20 minutes if you want to serve at room temp, or stick it in the fridge for an hour or so. Whenever you’re ready to serve, sprinkle on the pine nuts, give it another good toss and go!
Note: For leftovers or large party-size, consider swapping the linguine for bowtie pasta. Personally, I like the texture of day-old linguine, but some might find it a little stiff. Bowtie pasta is better in this regard, and it’s definitely easier to serve for a crowd!
Do you have any childhood favorites that you’ve rediscovered as an adult? They’re always the best recipes!
P.S. More easy dinners for busy weeknights:
* the best spaghetti sauce you’ll ever have
* chicken parm meatballs
* Trader Joe’s meal hacks
* salmon for beginners
* pasta with broccoli pesto
* pan-fried pizzas
* tomato eggs with polenta
* dumpling salad
* coconut chicken with rice
* the fish sandwich Jenny makes once a week
* kale, sausage and beans a.k.a “The KSB”
* lazy man’s ratatouille
* five ways to turn a rotisserie chicken into dinner
* 11 readers share their go-to recipes
* how to get your kids to talk at dinner
* and the #1 thing we’d tell new parents about family dinner
