Tunisian

Spaghetti al Tonno e Ceci

Name: Spaghetti al Tonno e Ceci
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 200 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight; 640 g tuna in olive oil (about 4 cans of 160 g), oil kept; 2 medium onions, chopped; 2 mild long green peppers, seeded and sliced; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons tomato paste (double concentré); 800 g diced tomatoes (about 2 cans of 400 g); 2 teaspoons harissa; 2 teaspoons tabel & karouia; 2 teaspoons piment doux (sweet paprika); 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 3/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste; 3 bay leaves; 250 ml water, as needed; 800 g spaghetti; Juice of 1/2 lemon; Cook the chickpeas: Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Cover with fresh water by a few centimetres and simmer until you can easily squash one, 45 to 60 minutes. Add a pinch of salt in the last 10 minutes, then drain.; Prep: While the chickpeas cook, chop the onions, slice the green peppers and mince the garlic. Drain the tuna, keeping the oil, and break it into chunks.; Soften the onions: Heat about 3 tablespoons of the tuna oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden.; Cook the peppers: Add the green peppers and cook, stirring, until they start to soften.; Bloom the spices: Add the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, tabel & karouia, piment doux, turmeric, basil and black pepper. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. If you’re unsure about the heat, start with 1 1/2 teaspoons of harissa.; Simmer the sauce: Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, cooked chickpeas and the water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring now and then, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.; Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti in well-salted water as the packet says (about 7 minutes for Randa). Save a mug of pasta water before draining.; Add the tuna: Gently stir the tuna into the sauce and heat through without over-stirring, so it stays in chunks.; Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and harissa. Toss with the spaghetti, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen.

Tunisian-spiced tuna and chickpea tomato sauce with mild green peppers, over spaghetti.

Ingredients (for 8):

200 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
640 g tuna in olive oil (about 4 cans of 160 g), oil kept
2 medium onions, chopped
2 mild long green peppers, seeded and sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste (double concentré)
800 g diced tomatoes (about 2 cans of 400 g)
2 teaspoons harissa
2 teaspoons tabel & karouia
2 teaspoons piment doux (sweet paprika)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
3 bay leaves
250 ml water, as needed
800 g spaghetti
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions:

Cook the chickpeas: Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Cover with fresh water by a few centimetres and simmer until you can easily squash one, 45 to 60 minutes. Add a pinch of salt in the last 10 minutes, then drain.
Prep: While the chickpeas cook, chop the onions, slice the green peppers and mince the garlic. Drain the tuna, keeping the oil, and break it into chunks.
Soften the onions: Heat about 3 tablespoons of the tuna oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden.
Cook the peppers: Add the green peppers and cook, stirring, until they start to soften.
Bloom the spices: Add the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, tabel & karouia, piment doux, turmeric, basil and black pepper. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. If you’re unsure about the heat, start with 1 1/2 teaspoons of harissa.
Simmer the sauce: Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, cooked chickpeas and the water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring now and then, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.
Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti in well-salted water as the packet says (about 7 minutes for Randa). Save a mug of pasta water before draining.
Add the tuna: Gently stir the tuna into the sauce and heat through without over-stirring, so it stays in chunks.
Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and harissa. Toss with the spaghetti, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen.