Tuna Farfalle
(adapted from Jamie Oliver's Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook)
Serves 4-6
Good olive oil
1 lg. red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 fresh chiles (red or green), deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 15-oz cans plum tomatoes
2 10-oz cans imported oil-packed tuna, drained and flaked
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. pkg. farfalle (or rigatoni or penne)
Zest and juice of 1-2 lemons (depending on juiciness of the fruit)
1 lg. handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Small handful of freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano
Heat a good glug of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook, onion, chiles, and cinnamon, on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until the onion has wilted and sweetened. Turn up heat, add tomatoes, tuna, and a pinch of salt. Break up tomatoes using the back of your spoon, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Taste for seasonings.
Meanwhile, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to instruction. When al dente, drain pasta and reserve some of the cooking water. Toss pasta into tuna-tomato sauce. Add basil, a glug of olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmigiano-reggiano - mix well. Add a little cooking water, if needed, to loosen pasta. Check seasonings and serve imediately.
Clarification
Basil should be added at the end. Did you try it?



The recipe calls for a
The recipe calls for a handful of basil leaves but it asked for them to be put into the recipe at two different times. First at the very beginning of the recipe, with the onion, chilies, cinnamon and "basil". Later at the end of the recipe again: Toss pasta into tuna-tomato sauce. Add basil, a glug of olive oil...
When is it correct to add the basil? At the beginning or at the end?
And do you really add cinnamon together with the onions and chilies? It seems odd for a pasta recipe with tuna and tomatoes...
Can someone clarify?
Thanks.