Pasta with Tuna and Mozzarella
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Cooking time: 30 minutes until pasta |
We tend to have simple meals on Sunday evening. After the bounty of summer fruits we have to plan a little more to keep enough fruit in our diet in winter. When our Sunday dinner is not heavy in vegetables I like to make a simple fruit dessert to round it out.
Pasta with Tuna and Mozzarella Time: 25 minutes
This is a recipe based on one from a giant cook book called 'Pasta' that I picked up at the biggest second-hand book store in the world: Hay-on-Wye, Wales. Tuna, tomatoes and melting mozzarella, perfect fall comfort food, and a little reminiscent of summer.
1 cup penne, rigatoni or other bite-size pasta
1 tbs olive oil
3 fresh tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 ball fresh Mozzarella, 6 - 8 oz (225gr) cow or di bufala
1/2 cup black or green olives mine were green, stuffed with anchovies, pimento-stuffed would be good
1 tbs fresh snipped basil
1 tbs fresh snipped oregano
3 tbs white or red wine
1 6 - 7 oz (200gr) can tuna
Cook pasta according to package directions. Mince garlic. Cut olives in half. Roughly chop tomatoes. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Add tomatoes and sauté until they start to get soft and juicy. Drain and flake tuna. Add tuna and olives to tomatoes and heat through, stirring gently. Drain and roughly chop mozzarella. When pasta is done, drain and put into a large bowl. Then add cheese to tomatoes, and heat through, without stirring. When cheese is soft and melting, pour the sauce over the pasta, toss gently and serve.
Individual Ginger-Pear Crisps Time: 50 minutes
When the leaves start to turn and the apples and pears ripen I start longing for a good apple crisp, or, in this case, pear crisp. Normally one sees cinnamon with apples but I love to put some spicy ginger with the pears. I use small baking dishes that are about 4" (10cm) in diameter.
2 fairly ripe pears, Anjou or Bosc
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
4 tbs flour
2 tbs chilled butter
2 tbs bread crumbs
4 tbs slivered almonds or chopped walnuts
a bit more butter
Butter individual baking dishes or one small baking dish. Cut pears into quarters. Cut out stem and core, then slice. Arrange pears in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Put pears into individual baking dishes or ramekins. Mix sugar, ginger, flour and bread crumbs. Cut in butter, using a pastry cutter, 2 knives or forks, until it resembles small pebbles. Divide evenly and sprinkle over pears. Divide almonds and sprinkle on top. Bake 30 - 35 minutes at 375F (185C), until top is bubbly.
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Cooking Schedule:
25 minutes until pasta; 20 more until dessert |
Roughly chop tomatoes
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Cooking for Two? Or more?
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