FARFALLE WITH TUNA AND BELL PEPPERS CREAM

Entree - Can be lactose and gluten free (READ footnotes)

I had no idea what to prepare for dinner so I got home and opened the refrigerator... this is what turned out. I tried twice before actually sending this recipe out, the first one was good, but the second was the better one. There is still room for adjustment, I'll try it again SOON!!

1 lb Italian farfalle (bowties) pasta
1 bell pepper (red, orange or yellow)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
4 oz white fish fillet, sliced crosswise about 1/4" thick
1 can high quality tuna in olive oil
1 tbsp Italian capers, packed in salt & rinsed
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 tbsp cream cheese
2 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup brandy (or white wine)
Italian sea salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)


Clean bell peppers, remove inner white ribbings and seeds, then cut in pieces. Arrange in a saucepan with some water (or vegetable broth) and stew until very soft. Set aside.

Bring a large pot with water to a boil. When it boils, add salt, then pasta.

While you wait for the water to boil, start the sauce.

In a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and sautee onions, capers and hot pepper flakes until onions become translucent. Then add fish fillets pieces and sautee for about 2 minutes.

Deglaze pan with brandy or white wine (I prefer brandy) and add crumbled tuna (reserve the oil, you may need it at the end). Lower heat to medium and cook a couple more minutes and turn the heat off.

Remove bell pepper pieces from their liquid with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a blender with the cream cheese and a few tbsp of the cooking liquid. Season with salt, then blend until you obtain a smooth cream.

Stir the bell pepper cream in the skillet with the onion/fish mixture; season with salt and add the tuna oil, if needed.

A couple minutes before pasta is al dente, drain it and bring your sauce back to warmth.

Transfer pasta to the skillet and sautee on medium heat until evenly coated.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped parsley, if you like.

Serves 4-5

- You can avoid the fish fillet, but use 2 cans of tuna.
- Use high quality tuna, in olive oil, like the one we carry.
- Capers in salt are the best: you rinse salt away and get only the capers flavor, not brine or vinegar.
- Always reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water, you may need it, in case your sauce is too thick.
- Please, avoid Parmigiano Reggiano since its strong flavor would cover the delicate flavors of the other ingredients.
- It can be gluten free (use high quality GF pasta) and lactose free (avoid cream cheese).