The other evening I dug into my files and made a favorite recipe of mine that I hadn't made in over a dozen years. It's an uncooked sauce that is to die for (well, maybe not die...). The original recipe came from page 97 of Marcella's Italian Kitchen by Marcella Hazan, and I've adapted it slightly. Measurements are US.

Pasta with Cold Tuna Sauce

2 7 oz. cans tuna in olive oil (see note)
1 Tbs fresh garlic, finely chopped
4 Tbs chopped parsley (preferably fresh, but dry will do)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 Tbs butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (8 oz.) heavy cream
3 - 4 Tbs milk
1 tsp salt, or to taste
¼ - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 - 1¼ cups grated cheese

1 - 1½ lbs. pasta (see note)

Optional: ½ cup chopped, pitted green olives (if adding olives, omit the salt)

For best results, add ingredients in this order:

In a large bowl, combine tuna (flake it!), butter, garlic, eggs, cream, milk, parsley, olives, salt and pepper, and, lastly, cheese. (Always add the cheese last!) Mix well by hand with a fork - no blender. Adjust salt and pepper (if needed), cover and let sit for at least a half-hour. Serve sauce at room temperature tossed with hot pasta and additional grated cheese.

Serves 4 very hungry people.

Note about the tuna: When the recipe was first published, cans of tuna in the US were 7 ounces. Over time, companies have shrunk the size of the cans and they are now usually 5 oz. However - I have found the 7 oz. cans at Costco. (I don't use the tuna in olive oil; far too expensive and you really can't tell the difference in the finished sauce.) It seems they have larger sizes of things that are difficult (if not impossible) to find elsewhere. If you can't find the 7 oz. cans, substitute three 5 oz. cans. Tuna in oil or water (I use the latter) will do nicely.

Note about the pasta: Back in the 1990's, I sent this recipe to my father and his wife. Several days later, he called me to say that the recipe was awful and he wouldn't be eating it again. After much questioning, I discovered that when he gave the recipe to his wife, he forgot to mention that the sauce was meant to be served over pasta! That's right - they ate only the sauce! Anyway, serve this sauce over pasta! (For the record, my dad's nickname was The Great Unconscious.)

The original recipe called for fettuccine (Fettuccine col Sugo di Tonno con Aglio e Panna - Fettuccine with Tuna, Garlic, and Cream Sauce), but any good-sized pasta will work. I usually use linguine, but rigatoni, rotini, and loads of others are also quite nice. Use whatever's handy - it will be fine!

Believe me, this is so good you could serve it in a restaurant. (And heaven knows what you'd pay for it! )

Fiancée loved it, I'm happy to say.


Signor V.