To make this little can of albacore come to life, I created my version of Italian tuna pasta that I ate in Florence during my seminary days.  I’ve made it for several other people and they say it’s definitely the opposite of penitential!  But, it’s still in the Lenten rulebook for fasting and it sure beats the texture and blandness of those sandwiches!

Ingredients:  Serves 1 portion

1 cup of dried fusili pasta, boiled and cooked al dente

1 can of albacore tuna

1 Tbs olive oil

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1 Tbs fresh capers

½ tsp green peppercorns

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ cup tomato sauce

Instructions:

Sauté garlic in pan of hot olive oil. Add tuna (including the liquid in the can), capers, and peppercorns.  Mix until tuna is warm.  Add tomato sauce and let simmer for 1 minute.  Add pasta and allow some of the pasta water to help “cream” the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Posted in Italian, Recipe-Italian, Recipe-Pasta | 5 Comments »

Tomato Basil Soup– (From Southern Living Magazine – 1997)

4 shallots, diced

1/2 lb. leeks, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 or 3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tbs olive oil

2 (14.5 oz.) can of Italian style tomatoes in juice, chopped

1 tbs dried basil

2 (14.5 OZ.) can of chicken broth

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of whipping cream

Cook first four ingredients in hot oil in a Dutch oven over low heat 10-12 mintues or until tender (do not brown). Add tomatoes and add 1 tbs of basil; cook over medium heat, stiffing occasionally, 10 minutes. Add broth and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Cool.

Process half of mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Transfer to cooking pot, and then proceed to process remaining half and add to pot. Heat over medium heat and then stir in whipping cream; cook, stirring constantly until heated thoroughly (do not boil). Yield 6.5 cups.

The soup (without the whipping cream) may be made and frozen in a freezer container for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and thaw in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Heat in the cooking pot over medium heat, and then add the whipping cream – proceed with above directions.

Posted in Italian, Recipe-Italian, Recipe-Side Dishes | No Comments »