Strombolana pasta

Name: Strombolana pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Spaghetti 11.3 oz; Tomato purée 1.7 cups; Tuna in oil (drained weight) 4.4 oz; Taggiasca olives 3.5 oz; Capers in vinegar 1.8 oz; Anchovies in oil 5 fillets; Garlic 1 clove; Dried chili pepper to taste; Basil to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Lulù Gargari

Strombolana Pasta brings together canned tuna, anchovies, capers, olives, and basil in a tomato passata sauce flavored with garlic and chili pepper. The anchovies do double duty here—listed among the main ingredients and worked directly into the sauce, where they dissolve and build a deep, savory base that ties everything together. Spaghetti is the pasta of choice, and the result sits somewhere between pasta al tonno and a classic puttanesca, borrowing the briny intensity of the latter while keeping the approachable character of the former.

The Aeolian Islands, just off the northeastern coast of Sicily, are the geographic inspiration behind the dish, and their pantry—preserved fish, capers, olives—shapes every element of the sauce. The combination is bold and Mediterranean, but the dish itself comes together in very few steps, making it a dependable choice for a quick weekday lunch or a relaxed dinner. Nothing here requires advance preparation or hard-to-find ingredients, and the passata keeps the sauce smooth and cohesive rather than chunky. It is an honest everyday plate that reflects the meeting of land and sea that defines so much of Sicilian cooking.

How to prepare Strombolana pasta

To prepare Strombolana pasta, heat a drizzle of oil in a pan with a clove of garlic and the chili pepper 1. Add the anchovies as well 2 and let them melt over low heat. Once the anchovies have melted, remove the garlic 3.

Pour in the tomato passata 4, season with salt and pepper 5. After a few minutes add the tuna 6.

Also add the olives 7, the pickled capers 8 and the basil leaves 9. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente 10. Once the sauce has finished cooking, turn off the heat 11. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with a little cooking water, if necessary 12.