Rustic and chunky- Mediterranean pasta with tuna, olives and capers

The beginning of the week calls for us all to drag ourselves out of fun weekends and back to weekday life.  Chores, to-do lists, and back to work/school (both if you are a teacher..bummer) ensure that we all have enough on our plates to find ourselves rushed through the day with not much planned for our real evening plate.

Simplicity is all that is needed here, in preparation, in flavour and eating.  Last night, I raided the store cupboard for the sunshiny flavours of Kalamata olives and salty capers to mix with fresh tomatoes, onions and basil.  It’s a beautiful combination to mix with pasta, or pour over meat or fish.  I tossed mine through hot pasta and served with a BBQd tuna steak. If you don’t fancy BBQing in the rain like I did last night (thank God for gas BBQs), then to pan fry, or griddle the fish would achieve much the same thing.

Rustic and chunky Mediterranean flavours

Ingredients, serves 2 + a toddler

4-5 ripe tomatoes, cut into bite sized chunks

Handful of pitted back olives

5 spring onions or half a white onion finely chopped

3 heaped teaspoons of capers

3 tablespoons of good oil, avocado is best

250-300g pasta

A few basil leaves

2 fresh tuna steaks

Black pepper

Squeeze of lemon juice

Method

Fill a large pan with water, a sprinkling of salt and bring to the boil.  Cook the pasta according to the packet.

In the meantime get a griddle or frying pan nice and hot, rub the fish with a little oil and fry on each size for a couple of minuites, depending on how thick the fish is and how you like it cooked. I like mine medium.  Once cooked, rest the fish on a plate and put to one side.

Add the oil to a frying pan, along with the onions.  Fry these gently, not allowing them to become too coloured (you want sweetness not bitter dark onions), this should take 5-8 minutes, then add the tomatoes, olives and capers, and cook for a further 10 minutes until the chunky sauce has come together a little and warmed through.  Once off the heat, season with black pepper and add some torn basil leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice.  Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce and stir well.  Serve with the tuna steak on top.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy (easy on the lemon though, it’s just meant to lift the sauce a little).