Orecchiette with Tuna and Courgettes

Hello,

Another favourite of mine and yes it’s quick and again it is from French Women For All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano.

Orecchiette with Tuna and Courgettes

Ingredients

350g orecchiette pasta

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 medium courgettes thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic

500gm cherry tomatoes halved

180g canned tuna in olive oil

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped basil

1.       Bring 2 litres salted water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan.  Cook the orecchiette according to packet directions.

2.      Place courgettes in a large serving bowl.  Drain the pasta over the bowl, and let the courgettes stand in the hot cooking water for 2 minutes to soften.  Drain, and return the courgettes to bowl.

3.      Heat the oil in a large frying pan.  Saute the garlic and tomatoes over medium heat until softened.  Remove from heat.  Add the tuna.  Toss with the pasta and courgettes, and drizzle the oil over it all.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with the basil.  Serve immediately.

In the original recipe it gives the option of butter or oil to cook the garlic and tomatoes but I omitted the butter because I use oil and like it.  Also the recipe uses tuna in olive oil.  I only ever buy tuna in spring-water so that’s what I use.  I don’t think it detracts from the dish

One gripe, not about the recipe but an ingredient, garlic.  It is almost impossible to buy Australian grown garlic.  Last year I grew my own but this year I am back to buying foreign garlic or going without and pasta isn’t the same without garlic.