Venetian tuna melt pasta

Recipe by
Rosalinda Mariotti

Americans love a good tuna sandwich at least as much Italians love a good tuna pasta, therefore the solution might just be the spin off of an old recipe from Venice: tuna melt pasta. A super easy, no-cook sauce whose color palette and look recall one of the most of popular fish dishes from the Lagoon (Venetian style cod). Northern Italian cuisine, in fact, doesn't use tomatoes as much as the southern Italian cuisine historically does. Could be because tomatoes grow well in southern Italy where is hot, and not so well in the North.

The tuna melt pasta comes together while the pasta cooks. Adding some pasta water creates a creamy texture in a process called "risottatura": the pasta is partially cooked in water, then transferred to the pan with the sauce, and cooked directly in the pan, constantly adding water whenever the pasta absorbs it, until cooked to perfection.

The tuna melt pasta will have a nice crunch and will be creamy at the same time. To add pops of flavor, the capers and chives will do the rest. Cheese is optional but highly recommended. While Italians are not keen on the fish/cheese combination, this recipe takes the American approach with a good aged white Cheddar cheese added to the mix. You be the judge.