This is a wonderful and colourful – the red of the tomatoes, the green of the basil leaves and the
pale colour of the penne pasta reminds you of the colours of the Italian flag – pasta lunch, ideal for
enjoying with friends in the spring or summer. Don’t be frightened to play around with the
ingredients; add more garlic, oil or lime juice to taste and, for a change, try fresh coriander leaves
instead of (or as well as) the fresh basil leaves.
Ingredients
- 250g dried penne pasta
- 2 x 160g cans tuna chunks in brine, drained
- 16 baby plum tomatoes, halved
- 100g unpitted black olives, drained
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 2tbsp olive oil or to taste
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
Method
Boil the pasta in a pan of salted water according to packet instructions (usually 10-12 mins) and drain, rinse and leave to cool.
Tip the tuna, tomatoes, black olives, spring onions, garlic, olive oil and lime juice into a bowl and stir together gently.Divide the pasta between four bowls and arrange the tomato and tuna mix on top.
Season with salt and pepper, and scatter with small (or torn larger) basil leaves.
Top tip for making Italian Tuna and tomato penne pasta
Buy the olives from a deli counter; that way, you get the amount you need for the recipe you’remaking.
