Fusilli w/ Tuna and Tomato Sauce

Fusilli with Tuna and Tomato Sauce
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
See this recipe on air Wednesday Jan. 25 at 4:30 PM ET/PT.


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 17 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 28 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
User Rating:


1 pound fusilli
1 (26-ounce) jar Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows or other purchased marinara sauce
2 (6-ounces each) cans albacore tuna packed in oil, drained
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the tomato sauce, tuna, capers, and lemon peel in a heavy large skillet. Using a fork, break the tuna into chunks. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Toss the pasta with enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Stir in the parsley and serve.
Simple Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.
Yield: 6 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Ease of preparation: easy