We're excited to announce the Oaktown Spice Shop x Fishwife recipe collaboration! In this recipe, the cayenne, cumin and garlic in our Harissa blend punch up a classic tuna, olive and tomato pasta sauce. Fishwife's Wild-Caught Albacore Tuna, which is smoked in small batches and hand-packed, adds a level of elegance and satisfaction to this pantry-friendly, easy-to-prepare dish.
Fishwife is a new female-founded and led food company aiming to make ethically-sourced, premium, and delicious tinned seafood a staple in every cupboard. They source from responsibly managed fisheries and aquaculture farms to bring the vibrance of conservas culture to the North American table.
You can purchase Fishwife's Wild-Caught Albacore Tuna and Smoked Rainbow Trout in our Albany and Oakland retail shops!
Recipe and photo by Vilda Gonzalez
3 cups pasta of choice
1 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes*
2 tins Fishwife Wild-Caught Albacore Tuna
⅔ cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, finely sliced
3 large cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 tablespoon Harissa
1 teaspoon dried Mediterranean oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons heavy cream or full fat coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, red onion and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are starting to caramelize. Lower the heat to medium low and add the garlic, oregano, and Harissa. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, allowing the garlic to mellow and the spices to bloom. Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer till the sauce has slightly thickened; this should take roughly the same amount of time as your pasta takes to cook.
As your sauce is simmering, cook your pasta! When the pot of water has come to a boil, add a hefty pinch of salt. Cook the pasta according to its packaging directions.
Once the sauce has thickened and all of the flavors have melded, add the kalamata olives and tuna. Stir to combine and continue cooking on low heat till your pasta is just barely al dente. When the pasta is properly cooked, use a spider skimmer to transfer it to the sauce. Toss to combine, and cook for another minute to allow the pasta to get acquainted with the sauce. Add the cream (or coconut milk) and give it all one final stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if need be.
Serve garnished with basil.
*We always opt for a can of whole peeled tomatoes over chopped. There are often less preservatives involved in the former, but more importantly whole tinned tomatoes tend to have a fresher and sweeter flavor than pre-chopped tomatoes. When using whole peeled canned tomatoes, pour the contents of the can into a bowl and squish the tomatoes between your fingers. This results in a really lovely rustic texture. If you don’t feel like embarking on this juicy journey, please feel free to opt for chopped.
Excited to try this recipe, but 3 cups of dried pasta is a meaningless measurement: think about the volume of orzo vs. rigatoni. Given the quantities of the other ingredients here, I’d expect the recipe to call for 12oz or possibly 1lb of pasta, but I’d appreciate some guidance!
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Glenny (Oaktown Spice Shop)
October 21, 2022
Hi Eva,
Thanks for reaching out! Apologies for any confusion. I think that 12-16oz of pasta would do the trick, depending on how saucy you like your pasta dishes. 12oz will give you a saucier meal. I hope that helps!