Pasta with tuna and fennel – Pasta with tuna and fennel

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 can tuna in its own juice
• 1 fennel bulb(s) (about 200 g) with plenty of green
• 1 organic lemon(s), juice and zest of one half
• 1 bunch parsley, flat
• 4 anchovy fillets, pickled
• 2 tbsp pine nuts (approx. 40 g)
• 400 g bucatini or macaroni
• 1 tsp, heaped fennel seeds
• 1 m.-sized onion(s)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 12 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Drain the canned tuna in a colander. Trim the fennel, removing any tough bits, roughly chop the tender greens, and reserve. Bring 1 liter of salted water to a boil, then cook the fennel for 10 minutes. Remove from the liquid with a slotted spoon and drain. Reserve the cooking water. Dice the fennel. Finely chop the parsley and set half aside for later. Rinse, dry, and finely chop the anchovy fillets. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Grind the three ingredients in a mortar with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the grated zest of half a lemon, and the fennel seeds to a paste. Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide pan, sauté the onion until translucent, stir in the fennel, and fry briefly. Reduce the heat, then stir in the anchovy paste, a few tablespoons of the reserved fennel stock, and 2 tablespoons of pine nuts. Simmer gently. Fill the fennel broth to 3 liters, season with salt, and heat. Cook the pasta in it for about 10 minutes until al dente. Drain well and stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a second pan. Add the drained tuna pieces to the pan and cook without stirring until the remaining liquid has evaporated. Drizzle with lemon juice. In a preheated bowl, toss the pasta with the anchovy sauce, gently stir in the tuna, and sprinkle with the reserved parsley and fennel leaves.