PENNE WITH TUNA, PLUM TOMATOES, AND BLACK OLIVES

Penne with Tuna, Plum Tomatoes, and Black Olives image

Number Of Ingredients 10

Salt
2-3 ounces penne, according to appetite (fusilli or small shells are good, too)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion or fat shallot, sliced thin
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced thin
2 or 3 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into rough chunks
A splash of white wine
2 1/2-3 ounces canned tuna in olive oil*
10 Italian or Greek black olives, pitted and quartered
A generous handful of chopped fresh Italian parsley

Steps:

Bring a large pot of water with a tablespoon of salt to a boil. When it is boiling vigorously, drop in the pasta and stir it around.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet, and sauté the onion or shallot 3-4 minutes, until limp. Add the garlic slices and tomatoes and sauté another minute. Splash in the wine and cook down. Break up the tuna, and drop chunky flakes into the pan. Stir in the olives. Add at least 1/4 cup of the pasta water to thin the sauce. When the pasta is done al dente (taste to be sure), transfer it with a big spider to the pan with the sauce, and stir it around, cooking the two together a minute. Add salt if needed, and more pasta water if the sauce is too dry. Spoon the pasta and sauce into a warm shallow bowl, and scatter parsley on top.