Tuna Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• 2 teaspoons red chili flakes
• 1 can (28 ounces/796 mL) crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup bomba calabrese or your favourite hot pepper spread
• 2 cans (170 g each) tuna packed in water
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
• Cooked pasta of choice
• 1 lemon, for zesting

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, bomba calabrese, tuna with its water, bay leaves, and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, until slightly thickened. Discard the bay leaves.
2. Mix a bit of sauce with your cooked pasta, then divide the pasta between shallow bowls. Pour a generous ladle of sauce over top. Garnish with a few basil leaves and finish with a bit of lemon zest.

Excerpted from Chuck’s Home Cooking by Chuck Hughes. Copyright © 2024 Chuck Hughes. Photography by Marc-André Lavoie. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.