As most of you know, I am frequently on the road. Although I eat out a lot, I also don’t miss a chance to prepare my own dishes when the opportunity presents itself. That’s how this dish came to be. I checked into a hotel one evening and found that my suite had its own kitchen. Then and there, I decided I wanted a home-cooked meal—or the closest thing to it. I love to improvise and try new dishes, so I headed straight to the supermarket and gathered these ingredients. That’s the story behind Penne Tuna and Mozzarella, and, fortunately, it has a happy ending—the meal tasted great! I liked it so much that I wrote the recipe down and saved it. Now I’m sharing it with my PMQ readers, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. penne pasta
1 tbsp. capers in brine or salt
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 7-oz. can of tuna, drained
5 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2/3 c. mozzarella cheese, diced

 

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Meanwhile, rinse the capers well in water. Then, chop both the capers and garlic and combine with the parsley. Next, stir in the tuna and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cheese and toss all ingredients together, including the pasta. Place in a large frying pan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until the cheese just begins to melt. Serve immediately. 

 

Chef Santo Bruno, Food & Ingredients