pasta with tuna, white beans, and artichoke hearts

Want to never be stuck with nothing for dinner? I’ve got two words for you: cans and jars. Stock up on decent tuna, canned white beans, and jars of marinated artichoke hearts, and you’ve got a great start. Any kind of tuna is fine for this recipe (white or light, water-or oil-packed), and it’s great with all kinds of pasta beyond the more traditional fettuccine—orecchiette (little ears), gemelli (twists), or whatever looks like fun to you. It’s light yet substantial, and great on a warm evening. And it’s definitely not your grandmother’s tuna noodle casserole.

One 15-ounce can cannellini or navy beans (about 1½ cups cooked beans)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 good-sized clove)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt (plus more for the pasta water)

Freshly ground black pepper

One 12-ounce can tuna, drained

One or two 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts

3 or 4 scallions (white and tender green parts), minced

A handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley

¾ pound fettuccine (or any pasta)

1. Set a colander in the sink and pour in the beans; give them a quick rinse and allow them to drain.

2. Pour the olive oil into a large bowl. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt, and stir to combine. Add the beans and 5 to 6 grinds of black pepper. Stir gently to coat all the beans, and let sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate. (You can do this step up to 2 days ahead—in which case, cover and refrigerate the mixture and then bring it back to room temperature before proceeding.)

3. Add the tuna to the beans, flaking it with a fork and then mixing it in gently, so as not to break the beans. Stir in the artichokes (including all of their marinade), along with the scallions and parsley.

4. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt. Place a large colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the fettuccine, keeping the heat high. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting the pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked. When it is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging), and then add the pasta to the bowl with the bean mixture.

5. Gently stir the pasta and sauce until well combined. (The best utensil for stirring will depend on the shape of the pasta: tongs for longer shapes like fettuccine, a large spoon for shorter ones.) Serve right away.

GET CREATIVE

• Use a high-quality olive oil for more flavor.
• Add a handful of assorted olives (the variously shaped multicolored ones from the olive bar) to the mix when you add the tuna.
• Add a tablespoon of capers along with the tuna.
• If you want to extend the sauce and make it a little more Mediterranean, add a drained 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes.
• Add a few chopped anchovies or a bit of anchovy paste along with the tuna. If you do, use less salt.
• Try some tuna packed in olive oil. Expensive, but worth it. You can use the oil in the jar to make up part of the 1/3 cup of oil called for in the recipe.

chinese-style peanut noodles

Makes 4 to 6 servings

You’ll be surprised at how Chinese-restaurant-y (in a good way!) this easy peanut sauce tastes. Make the sauce ahead of time, if you like, and keep it in the refrigerator. That way you can enjoy this pasta on a busy weeknight just by reheating a bit of the sauce and spooning it over individual servings of cooked pasta—not to mention chicken, vegetables, tofu, or beef. “Natural” peanut butter (the kind made just from peanuts, and perhaps also salt, but nothing else) is the best kind to use for this.

1½ cups peanut butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 good-sized clove)

4 cups boiling water

¼ cup cider vinegar

½ cup (packed) brown sugar (light or dark)

3 to 4 tablespoons soy sauce

Up to 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for the pasta water)

1 pound angel hair pasta Red pepper flakes

1. Put the peanut butter and garlic in a large bowl. Add about 2 cups of the boiling water, and mash with the back of a large spoon to help the peanut butter start softening. As it softens, switch from the spoon to a whisk, and gently whisk as you slowly pour in the remaining 2 cups of boiling water. When the peanut butter and the water have become uniformly mixed, stir in the vinegar, brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce. Taste the mixture to see if it needs more soy sauce (different brands have varying salt contents), and add more if you like. Also add some salt to taste, beginning with ¼ teaspoon and possibly adding up to a full teaspoon if it seems to need it. Set the sauce aside. (You can make this sauce up to a week ahead of time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. If you do, warm it in the microwave, or in a saucepan over low heat, before using.)

2. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt. Place a large colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the pasta, keeping the heat high. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting the pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked. When it is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging), and transfer the pasta to the bowl of sauce.

3. Use a fork or tongs to gently mix the noodles into the sauce, using a lifting motion as you turn the bowl. Serve right away, topped with a scattering of red pepper flakes.

GET CREATIVE

• If you like a little heat, add some chile oil to the sauce (a few drops at a time, tasting after each addition) after you add the soy sauce.
• For a little more complex flavor, add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil to the sauce.
• Add some minced cilantro to the sauce and/or a few whole cilantro leaves to decorate the top. (Use as much as you like. I tend to throw in a ton!)
• Stir in some thinly sliced scallion greens, or sprinkle them on top as a garnish.
• Garnish with some chopped peanuts.
• Toss in a cup of warm chopped cooked broccoli, carrots, cabbage, summer squash, mushrooms, or cauliflower along with the pasta.
• Mix in (or sprinkle on) a cup of shredded or sliced cooked chicken (Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat and 156), diced firm tofu, or scrambled eggs.
• Make this vegan by using eggless pasta.