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paccheri with fresh tuna ragu
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4.94 from 33 votes

Paccheri with Fresh Tuna Ragu: Recipe from Sicily

This fresh and delicious pasta with fresh tuna recipe from Sicily is easy to make and only takes the time you need to boil the water and cook the pasta! Perfect summer or weeknight meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Sicilian, Southern Italian
Keyword: Bluefin tuna, fresh tuna, pasta recipe, seafood pasta, Sicilian food, tuna pasta
Servings: 4
Calories: 514kcal
Author: Jacqui

Ingredients

  • 360 g mezzi paccheri pasta (12-13oz) or paccheri, giant penne, rigatoni etc
  • 350 g fresh tuna (12oz) 1-2 thick steaks
  • 1-2 red onions I used Tropea onions
  • 250 g datterini tomatoes (9oz)
  • 1 lemon organic ( to zest)
  • ½ glass dry white wine
  • mint leaves
  • salt for pasta and to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions



  • Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to
    the boil again.








  • Peel the red onion/s and slice into thin crescents. Cut the tuna into cubes, as in the photos. Wash the tomatoes, remove the stalk and cut them in half.






  • Pour olive oil into a large frying pan or skillet, add the red onion and sauté gently. Once the onion has softened, add the tomatoes and cook on a medium heat until they start to soften
    too. Then turn the heat up, add the tuna and brown it for a couple of minutes turning frequently and then add the white wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate. Turn the heat down.












  • Cook the pasta a minute less than al dente according to the instructions on the packet.








  • While the pasta is cooking (it usually takes about 10 minutes) season the tuna ragu with
    salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes more. You will see that the tomato peel begin to come off on its own, you can remove the peel if you prefer with the help of a knife and fork. I didn’t remove it.








  • Add a little chopped fresh mint and cook the tuna sauce for a couple of minutes more.
    If necessary, add ½ ladle of pasta cooking water if the sauce seems dry.








  • When the pasta is almost cooked, save a little of the cooking water and drain. Add the
    pasta to the pan with the tuna ragu. Mix the sauce and the pasta together well and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Adding a little pasta cooking water if you need it.








  • When the pasta is ready, remove the skillet from the heat and add some more chopped fresh
    mint leaves, freshly ground black pepper and the grated zest of one lemon.
    You can serve your mezzi paccheri with fresh tuna ragu with a drizzle of olive oil and some peperoncino flakes if desired.












Notes

This recipe can also be made with other steak fish such as swordfish. Whatever fish you use it's important not to overcook it. Small cubes of fresh fish cook very quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2222IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg