Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 1/2 box (8 oz/226 g) penne rigate ((or your favorite pasta) (*Footnote 1))
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 onion (, diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (, minced)
  • 1 tablespoon doubanjiang ((or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes))
  • 1 can (28 oz/794 g) tomato (, diced or crushed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme ((or 2 sprigs fresh thyme))
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil ((or 4 fresh basil leaves, sliced))
  • 1 teaspoon salt ((or to taste))
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 can (5 oz/142 g) tuna in water (, drained (*Footnote 2) (Optional))
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ((*Footnote 3) (Optional))

Instruction

  • Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the box instructions until al dente. Once done, reserve a 1/4 cup of the cooking water to add to your sauce later (*Footnote 4). Drain the pasta and run tap water over it to stop cooking.
  • (Optional) Heat your oven to 375° F (190° C) if you plan to melt cheese on the pasta.
  • While boiling the water, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or saucepan until hot. Add the onion. Cook and stir occasionally, until it begins to soften, 3 minutes or so.
  • Add the garlic and doubanjiang. Continue to cook and stir until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, thyme, basil (skip if using fresh basil), salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the tuna to the sauce. Stir to mix well. Add back the cooked pasta and the reserved 1/4 cup of pasta cooking liquid. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning according to your preference.
  • (Optional) To melt the cheese, transfer the cooked pasta with the sauce into a baking dish and spread the cheese on top. Bake at 375° F (190° C) until the cheese fully melts, 15 minutes or so.
  • Serve hot as a main dish.