At lunchtime the other day and I knew those ripe and luscious tomatoes and huge bell peppers had to unite in a pasta dish. The color red was there and white (onion) and green (fresh basil and Sicilian capers) joined in to make this pasta tricolore. Tuna was in the cupboard…..and why not? Another addition: Pino’s black olives.
Pasta Tricolore
Ingredients (for four):
2 yellow or red bell peppers
1 onion
very ripe tomatoes, 4 or more
capers, 1 T
fresh basil, generous bunch
tuna, packed in olive oil – 1 tin (amount will vary on your taste)
black olives – a few
Extra virgin olive oil, q. b (“quanto basta” or “as much as you need”)
salt, q.b.
pasta, rigatoni or penne (1 lb for 5 persons so….)
Here’s how to make this easy and tasty summer pasta sauce of the Italian flag colors:
Wash fresh basil and chop (and even use seeds of basil flowers, if you have any):
Dice onion and wash peppers and then cut into small pieces:
Wah tomatoes and cut into small pieces:
Cover saucepan with olive oil, heat and sauce’ onion just until golden:
Add peppers and simmer on medium heat a few minutes until a bit tender, though not soft:
Add chopped tomatoes and simmer, raising heat a bit so that water of tomatoes begins to evaporate. Add basil:
Add olives, capers and tuna (including the oil of the tuna):
Simmer sauce while the salted water for your pasta is boiling. Drain the pasta, saving some of the brodo della pasta (pasta water) to add to sauce to make creamier if needed.
Buon appetito!
Note: Parmesan on top? NOT with tuna!
Click here for another peppers recipe
Click here for more recipes
Click here for a baked tomato summer recipe
Read about – and see! – another favorite summer peppers recipe
Click here for another recipe starring peppers
Click here for rural lore and a Sicilian peppers favorite
