Linguine al tonno fresco, amaro e dolce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 200 g tuna steak(s), fresh, sushi quality
• 2 tbsp herbs, equal parts rosemary, mint, parsley
• 1 tbsp olive oil for frying
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ fennel
• 1 onion(s), red
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 chili pepper
• 1 tbsp capers
• 4 anchovies in oil
• 2 red bell peppers, peeled
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 1 orange(s), the juice
• 100 ml fish stock
• 50 ml white wine (Vernaccia di Oristano), alternatively medium dry sherry
• 1 handful of pine nuts, roasted
• 280 g linguine, preferably fresh
• salt and pepper
• 8 leaves of radicchio
• 1 handful of arugula

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Pasta with fresh tuna, bitter and sweet

Cut the tuna into cubes about 1 cm long and roll them in the herbs, then set aside. For the sauce, halve and deseed the chili pepper and dip it in the heated oil for a minute or less, depending on your taste and the desired spiciness, then remove and discard. Add all the chopped vegetables, capers, and anchovies, and cook for 5 minutes. To do this, trim the fennel, remove the stems, and greens, and slice the vegetables brunoise-style. The capers, anchovies, and onion should be finely diced. Now add the striped radicchio and the quartered tomatoes, tossing well several times, then pour in the orange juice. Let it reduce slightly, add the fish stock, mix several times, and reduce slightly. Carefully season with salt and pepper. Pour in half of the Vernaccia and let it reduce again a little. Then add the linguine (cooked according to the package instructions) and the toasted pine nuts; mix well and keep warm. In another pan, fry the tuna over very hot heat for a maximum of one minute, season with salt and pepper, and deglaze with the other half of the Vernaccia. Do not let it all cook down. The tuna must remain raw inside! Now divide the pasta between plates, arrange the tuna on top, and top each plate with some arugula. Serve immediately. Note: When searching for a pasta dish with fresh tuna, unfortunately, you will almost always find canned tuna listed in the list of ingredients. This Primo Piatto uses only the freshest produce, as it is still caught today in western Sicily and Sardinia in the age-old tradition of mattanza. Sardinian Vernaccia is a liqueur-like, heavy, slightly sweet, almost dry wine with a bitter almond flavor. The fruity flavor of the orange juice underscores the sweet flavor and counteracts the bitterness of the radicchio and arugula. Capers and anchovies add a touch of flavor. All ingredients are found on both of Italy’s major islands.