October 2007 - Tuna Tomato & Olive Pasta

A quick recipe for a quick post. I have been meaning to post for a week now but I just haven't felt up to it. Last Wednesday I was coming out of a shop and missed a little half step and came crashing down. My left foot hurt right away but I finished doing what I had to do and then came home and took some pain killers. After 30 minutes when they hadn't helped at all I took myself off to the hospital, thank goodness for automatic cars. After x-rays they didn't think there was a problem and sent me home. However I got a call a few hours later to say that they had looked at my x-rays again and there was an undisplaced fracture. There was nothing that could be done about it but I have to stay off it and give it about 3 - 4 weeks to heal. Needless to say I have been feeling pretty sore and sorry for myself over the past few days. I have been pretty doped up on pain killers to. The swelling has started to go down and it wasn't hurting nearly as much but today until I went and dropped my stainless steel travel mug on my foot and now it is really hurting again tonight. Even so, I decided that I just had to get going on these last few posts or I wasn't going to get them done. 

I was looking for something quick to make one night and came up with Sue Sheppard's Tuna, Tomato & Olive Pasta. It was really easy to make and very tasty too. I really love tomatoey pasta dishes. In fact I am a fan of almost any pasta dish, although will admit that I have come across a couple that I haven't really liked for this blog. One of these days I would like to start making more of my own pasta. I am hoping to save up for the KitchenAid Pasta Press which someone I know has and it is incredible. Hopefully I will be able to buy it before the Australian dollar goes back down as it is way too expensive in Australia. Getting it shipped from the US about half the price. I used tuna in springwater for this dish as that was all I had and I added a bit of chilli oil. I also added in some capers as I thought that the combination necessitated them. It was a wonderful blend of flavours and one make for me to get a fish meal in. 

Tuna, Tomato & Olive Pasta 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 250 g spiral pasta (I used shells) 
• 1/3 c (80 ml) olive oil 
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 
• 2 bacon rashers, rind removed, finely chopped 
• 1/2 pitted black olives 
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
• 425 g can tuna in oil, drained
• 2 tomatoes chopped. 
• 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 cup grated parmesan

Method: 

• Cook pasta in boiling water as per packet directions. 
• Meanwhile, heat half oil cook bacon, garlic, olives and chilli for a couple of minutes. 
• Add tuna and tomato and cook until tomato is slightly soft. 
• Add pasta, parsley and parmesan. 
• Season with salt and pepper and serve.