There is a version of this pasta in almost every Italian home. The tin of tuna in olive oil, kept in reserve for when there is nothing else. The cherry tomatoes from the window or the jar. Capers, anchovies dissolved into the oil, parsley at the end. It takes exactly as long as the pasta takes to cook.
We make it with Gusta penne rigate. The ridges hold the sauce and the hollow center collects the tuna. The tuna goes in last, folded rather than stirred, so some pieces stay intact. The starchy pasta water does the emulsifying. Nothing else is needed.
Use good tuna packed in olive oil. The kind where the oil carries the flavor. Drain it, but keep the oil for finishing the plate.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Halve the cherry tomatoes. Drain and flake the tuna into rough chunks, keeping some pieces generous. Rinse the capers well and pat dry.
Warm 30 ml of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the anchovy fillets. Stir continuously until they dissolve completely into the fat, about 1 minute. There should be no visible anchovy left.
Raise to medium-high. Add the cherry tomatoes and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook until they collapse and their juices thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Fold in the capers.
Reduce to low. Fold in the tuna gently. Taste before adding salt: the anchovies and capers carry a lot. Let the tuna warm through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Cook the penne in the boiling water for 11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Add the pasta to the skillet. Toss over medium heat, adding pasta water a splash at a time, until the sauce coats every rigate and the pan looks glossy rather than dry.
Plate immediately and scatter parsley over the top. Drizzle a few drops of the reserved tuna oil if you like.
You made Penne al Tonno. Time to eat.
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The quality of the tuna is the dish. Use tuna packed in olive oil, not brine. Drain it, but save the oil to drizzle over at the end.
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