Spaghetti “Pirata” à la Chamook

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 cans of tuna in oil
• 500 g tomatoes, pureed
• 2 m.-large shallot(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 15 black olives, pitted, sliced
• 10 tomatoes, dried in herb oil
• 2 tbsp capers
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 1 Pepper
• 300 ml red wine
• Salt and pepper, freshly ground
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• some oil for frying
• e.g. Parmesan, freshly grated (Reggiano – important! No Grana Padano)
• possibly chili flakes
• 200g spaghetti

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Spicy tuna and tomato sauce with spaghetti

Peel and finely chop the garlic and shallots. Halve the olives and slice into rings, and cut the sun-dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Cut the chili peppers into thin rings. Place the tuna in a colander and drain. Wash the rosemary and thyme and pat dry. Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the shallots first, then the garlic. Fry until lightly browned. Then add the drained tuna and stir until well browned. Briefly fry the tomato paste. Deglaze with the red wine, add the passata, capers, chili peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary to the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Tips: I usually cook it for an hour; this reduces the acidity of the tomatoes somewhat, making the sauce more digestible. This is always advisable, especially for people with stomach problems. The longer it cooks, the better the flavor. Stir occasionally and add a little water or wine if needed. If desired, add chili flakes for extra spice. Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Finely grate Parmesan cheese, add it to the sauce, and let it simmer for a while. Cook the spaghetti, top with the sauce and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. This spicy tuna sauce goes perfectly with spaghetti.