My Grandmother's
Tuna Fish and Anchovy Sauce

This was one of my paternal grandmother's favorites!

About this recipe

My paternal grandmother was a great cook, a loving and caring lady, and deeply religious.  She was born in Sarnano, a small mountain village in the Marche region of Italy.  She immigrated to the United States with her husband for her wedding trip and never returned to her home country.  She treasured her family, her heritage, and her religion.

In her day, Fridays were meatless, so this sauce, which she prepared almost every week, became one of her family's favorites.  My father continued the tradition, although far from every week.  It was one of his favorites, and it quickly became one of my favorites, too.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ounces anchovy fillets
  • 12 ounces tomato paste
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 ounces tuna fish, solid white, water-packed

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a two-quart saucepan.  Sauté the minced garlic for thirty seconds and add the anchovy fillets.  Gently stir until the fillets are shredded.
  2. Add the tomato paste and water.  Add the pepper and parsley and simmer for 20 minutes. 
  3. Add the tuna fish (including the packing water) and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
  4. Serve over one pound of spaghetti, cooked al denté in salted boiling water.

Notes

  • Any anchovies will work here, but salt-packed anchovies are worth the extra cost and effort.  Just soak them in water for about 10 minutes, changing the water every 2 or 3 minutes.  Then remove the backbone.
  • Grandma always served this sauce over spaghetti or spaghetti-like pasta (e.g., angel hair, linguine, vermicelli, etc.)
  • I'm not certain my grandmother or father would approve, but I've been known to add scallops, mussels, and calamari to the sauce for the last five minutes of cooking time and the results have been very well received!
Spaghetti with Tuna Fish and Anchovy Sauce.
Tuna Fish and Anchovy Sauce with Bay Scallops served over fettuccine.
Posted: February 2014.