I first came across this recipe quite a few years ago while watching an episode of Jacques Pépin. It originally came from 2009 – his Fast Food My Way series.
I have made this numerous times over the years – pretty much following the recipe as written. Sometimes I’ll add a few more raisins or pine nuts. Once, I used chopped walnuts… Last night I added white wine and used jarred roasted red peppers. Fast Food My Way, indeed!
The recipe really is simplicity – and the flavors really do come together perfectly.
It’s dinner in the time it takes to cook the pasta!
Orecchiette with Fennel and Tuna
adapted from Jacques Pépin
- 1/2 lb Orecchiette
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 6oz can of tuna (packed in oil, preferred)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Start cooking orecchiette.
In a large skillet, sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add pine nuts and cook until they begin to lightly brown and are fragrant.
Add sliced fennel and stir or flip pan until fennel is on bottom and pine nuts on top. Add a bit of pasta water. Cover, and cook about 3 minutes.
Uncover and add bell peppers. Cook a few minutes and add the garlic. Continue cooking and add the tuna and raisins.
Cover, again, and cook until vegetables are tender – just a few more minutes.
Drain pasta and stir into fennel. Stir in parsley and cheese.
Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as desired.