She went outside to pick some parsley for her mamma. It was
Christmas Eve and everyone was busy chatting, playing games, running about the
house, up and down the long black marble corridor. It was always polished,
really shiny and you could "ice-skate" on it!
As she ran back indoors, as she always liked to run everywhere
(and she still does!) she slipped and landed on the floor. The little stems of
fresh parsley were dropped all over the place, so she quickly gathered them and
went to wash the sweet smelling herb, under running water, in the
kitchen.
The smell of garlic, frying in the pan, and the sound of the
tuna, being "dropped" very skilfully in the pan,by her mother, were mingled with a sense of
happiness. We were all together, under the same roof. All our windows were
steamed up and we felt cosy, and happy. It must have been Christmas Eve, I
think...
I must have somehow been able to capture that sense of
feeling happy, protected and loved. I must have locked it away in here... in my
heart, or in my soul. It's in me and I can feel it. How I wish we could still,
all of us, be together. There is still so much we didn't say... so much we
didn't do... the rest is all here... with me... I love to open a window on my
childhood. I know that Proust said it before me, but... smells... fragrances are
the key to the past.
And I want to go back, through the smell of this dish to an
"Eve"... Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, The Eve of Saint John's Day, in June,
when you might quite likely, in Puglia, eat this simple dish, which is
absolutely delicious!
Spaghetti "Ai Capperi e Tonno" alla San Giovannino. This dish,
as promised in my previous post is very easy to make and, like all good Italian
dishes, only uses a few ingredients. Though might be eaten on special occasions
(the Eve of a celebration) also forms part of what we call "cibo quotidiano"
EVERYDAY FOOD!"
Spaghetti ai Capperi e Tonno
(Alla San Giovannino)
(Spaghetti with Tomato, Tuna and Caper
Sauce)
Ingredients
(serves 2-3)
olive oil (cover the base of your pan with
it!)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large tin of best tuna chunks
in brine, or olive oil
300g (10 oz) cherry or fresh plum tomatoes,
chopped
or:
1 small tin plum tomatoes
1 tbsp capers in vinegar
generous bunch of fresh parsley
salt
freshly milled black pepper
300-400g (about 1 lb, or just under) spaghetti
(or linguine)
You can cook this in a saucepan, or a frying pan or
wok. Put the olive oil in the pan you are using, wait until it gets piping hot,
then add the garlic. Don't let it burn, as it will taste bitter if it does.
Stir, then add your tuna (if you are using tuna in brine, remove all the liquid,
first.)
Quickly add your tuna, stir, then half cover with a
lid, as the tuna will splatter all over the place! true! Give it a couple of
minutes, enough time for the flavours to blend, then add your tomatoes (fresh or
tinned- squash your tinned tomatoes up before cooking, if you want a good
sauce!) some salt, and black pepper and bring to the boil.
You can now turn the heat down and cook your sauce
for 20-25 minutes. By now, your kitchen should be filled with a wonderful aroma:
garlic and tuna are fantastic, together.
Towards the end of cooking time, add your capers (I
use lots, as I love the vinegary flavour!) and, before serving, take half of
your parsley, roughly chop and add to the sauce, which, I assure you, is going
to be magnificent!
Cook your spaghetti or linguine, drain and serve
with the sauce. Top each serving with extra parsley and black pepper. And now I
feel hungry!
D E L I Z I O S O!!!!!
