Tuna and Olive Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
• 1/2 brown onion finely sliced
• 1 tin quality chopped tomatoes 400g
• Salt for the pasta water and the salad
• 400g spaghetti
• 2 tins tuna in olive oil 160g each, drained
• 80g black olives halved
• 1 fennel bulb halved, cored and very thinly sliced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon for the fennel
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Soften the onion

   Boil a full kettle. Meanwhile, halve and finely slice the onion. Warm 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Turn the heat down if it starts to colour – you want it sweet, not browned.

2. Start the tomato sauce

   Add the chopped tomatoes and leave to tick over on a low heat while you get the pasta on.

3. Cook the spaghetti

   Pour the boiled water into a large pan, top up to 2–2.5 litres and bring back to the boil. While it heats, drain the tuna and halve the olives. Salt the water with 4–5 tsp, until it tastes noticeably salty, then add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than the pack says, as it finishes cooking in the sauce.

4. Add pasta water and reduce

   Once the pasta has had 2–3 minutes, ladle two small ladlefuls of the water into the tomato pan. Raise the heat to medium-high so the sauce reduces while the pasta finishes, and cover with a splashguard if you have one – it may spit.

5. Add the tuna and olives

   Add the drained tuna to the sauce with the olives, and the capers if using. Fold it through so the tuna breaks down into the sauce but keeps some visible flakes.

6. Make the fennel salad

   While the sauce reduces, halve the fennel, cut out the core and slice it as thinly as you can – a mandolin makes short work of it if you have one. Dress with the lemon juice, the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

7. Finish reducing the sauce

   When the sauce has reduced and thickened, turn the heat to low. It can look quite dry at this stage, which is what you want – more pasta water goes in at the end. If it starts to catch, add a splash.

8. Toss the spaghetti through

   Scoop out a mugful of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti in a colander. Add it to the sauce with a splash of the reserved water, raise the heat to medium-high and toss for 1–2 minutes, until every strand is coated and glossy. Add more water if it tightens up.

9. Serve with the fennel salad

   Serve with the fennel salad alongside.

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