Rainy day pasta: Pantry staples create the perfect meal
2 (6-ounce) cans oil-packed Italian or Spanish tuna, drained and crumbled
2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 pounds ziti pasta
6 scallions, whites and about 2 inches of greens thinly sliced
Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large pasta pot.
Cut the salami into thin julienne. Heat the oil in a 14-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add the salami and onions, and cook until the onions have softened, about 7 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Then remove from the heat and stir in the tuna. Set aside.
Add the salt to the boiling water. Drop the ziti into the water and cook for 1 minute less that the package instructions indicate. Just before it is done, carefully ladle 1/4 cup of the cooking water into the tuna mixture.
Drain the pasta in a colander and add it to the sauce. Toss over medium heat for about 30 seconds, until the pasta is nicely coated. Add the scallions and toss again. Pour into a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.
(Mario Batali is the chef behind 25 restaurants, including Eataly, Del Posto and his flagship Greenwich Village enoteca, Babbo.)
