Whole Wheat Penne with Tuna, Roasted Vegetables & Lotsa Garlic!


  • Yield: serves 6 to 8
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  • Special Equipment
  • 8-quart pot, preferably one with a built-in strainer, for cooking the pasta
  • Shallow baking sheet
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  • Ingredients for the dressing:
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon mild-flavored honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2/3 cup olive oil (combine pure with extra-virgin)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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  • Ingredients for the pasta:
  • 2 bunches young asparagus, rinsed well, patted dry, woody ends removed and stalks cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 1 large sweet yellow onion, cut into thin wedges
  • 2 cups (1 dry pint) grape tomatoes (all red or mix red and yellow)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Garlic Confit oil (see recipe following) or use regular extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 to 8 cloves cooked garlic confit; optional
  • 12 to 18 ounces light tuna, drained and flaked with a fork
  • 6 or more anchovy fillets, drained, patted dry and torn into pieces (to taste); optional
  • Handful of chopped fresh chives
  • ½ cup oil-cured olives; optional
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • To assemble the dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients in a nonreactive bowl and chill until 1 hour before using.
  • To get ready to cook: Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, over high heat, and when boiling, turn the heat down and let the water simmer until you're ready to cook and assemble the dish. Preheat the oven to 450F.
  • To season and roast the vegetables for roasting: Line a shallow baking sheet with aluminum foil Place the cut up asparagus, onion wedges (separated into strips), tomatoes, minced garlic, garlic oil and garlic confit, if using, in a bowl and add some salt and pepper to taste. Pour the seasoned vegetables onto the prepared baking sheet and season the top with a bit more salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables in the preheated 450F oven for 25 minutes. (This can be done a couple of hours ahead and left at a comfortable room temperature.)
  • To season the tuna: Flake the drained tuna and torn anchovies, if using, in a bowl and toss with the chives and season with some freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  • To cook the pasta, assemble the dish and serve: When the vegetables are half cooked, raise the heat until the pot of water and, when rapidly boiling, add a generous amount of table salt. Add the penne to the pot and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and place the penne into a wide serving bowl. (If serving at room temperature, after cooking the pasta, run the noodles under cold running water to stop the cooking process and drain well.) Whisk the dressing and pour some over the pasta, tossing to coat the tubes evenly. Pour the roasted vegetables on top of the noodles and add the tuna mixture and the olives, if using. Pour some dressing over the top and, either present the dish with the tuna perched on top, or mix gently. Serve hot or at room temperature, passing any reserved dressing at the table.

Garlic Confit with Cracked Pepper and Herbs

This is one recipe that I prepare every week (without fail) and use it almost every day. Whole garlic cloves, still in their papery skins, simmer away, at the barest bubble, in extra-virgin olive oil that's laced with dried red pepper flakes, cracked black peppercorns and finished with some crumbled dried Herbs de Provence. I use the oil to brush on meat, fish, poultry and vegetables before (and even after) grilling, roasting or pan-searing. I also serve the garlic-scented oil with the tender nuggets of cooked garlic (still in their skins) in small bowls, at the table. We squeeze out the garlic meat onto slices of crusty bread, and drizzle some of the oil on top and finish it off with a light sprinkle of coarse salt. I hope you love this condiment as much as we do.

  • Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
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  • For garlic confit:
  • 2 whole heads garlic (or more), broken into individual cloves but not peeled (remove any excess papery skins)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 rounded teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Pinch dried Herbs de Provence, crumbled (optional)

    To simmer the garlic cloves: Place them in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and add enough extra-virgin olive oil to cover the cloves by 1 inch. Crack open black peppercorns, using either a mortar and pestle or, lay the peppercorns on a sturdy work surface and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Give the peppercorns several swift whacks, until most are split open. Add the cracked pepper and dried pepper flakes, if using, to the oil and place the pan over very low heat.

    After about 5 minutes, you'll see the oil begin to bubble. Let the oil and garlic simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered. Don't let the oil simmer too briskly or the garlic might burst and actually jump out of the pan (I once found a few cloves clinging to my kitchen ceiling!). When the garlic is tender, remove the pan from the stove and add the crumbled Herbs de Provence, if using.
  • To cool and store: Let the garlic confit cool and, after you've used what you need for that day, store the rest in the refrigerator, in tightly covered, to use throughout the week. For best flavor and ease of use, bring the oil to room temperature, before using.
    • Time Management Tips
    • • The dressing can be prepared a day ahead and kept refrigerated, well covered.
    • • The vegetables can be set up for roasting a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator, well covered. Bring close to room temperature before roasting, or lengthen roasting time accordingly.
    • • The Garlic Confit can be made several days ahead and kept in the refrigerator in a closed jar or tub.
Did You Know?
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