Tuna Fish and Spaghetti

In chapter two of my novel entitled "What's Wrong With Here?" Silvia goes to visit her brother Cosmo at his apartment in Philadelphia. While there, he makes tuna fish and spaghetti. My mom used to call this dish "poor man's crabs and spaghetti."  It was very popular in my household growing up, and I still cook it on occasion myself.

Ingredients

1 can tuna fish
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
3 cups marinara sauce*
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Add drained tuna and stir thoroughly. Combine tuna and garlic mixture and tomato sauce. Cook over low heat for one hour. Serve with spaghetti and grated Parmesan cheese.

Alternative Recipe

Ingredients

1 can tuna fish
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried or fresh basil
1 teaspoon dried or fresh oregano
1 teaspoon dried or fresh parsley
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatos
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat.  Add drained tuna and crushed tomatoes and stir thoroughly.  Add spices and stir.  Cook over low heat for one hour.  Serve with spaghetti and grated Parmesan cheese.


*Marinara Sauce

This maranara sauce recipe is handed down from my grandma.  In my family, sauce was always called gravy, and I believe this is common amongst many Italian-Americans.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

·         2 cans, 28 oz. each, crushed tomatoes ( used diced if you like
bits in your GRAVY-experiment)

·         1 large onion-minced

·         1TBSP minced garlic

·         1heaping tsp.or 1TBSP each of dried parsley, oregano, basil

·         Fresh herbs at end if available-basil, parley
 salt 1tsp.  pepper 1/2 tsp

Directions

·         Sauté onion, garlic, dry spices until they sweat.

·         Add tomatoes, salt, pepper. Simmer for about 1 hour or more, until
you like the taste of it.