super easy spicy tuna pasta with rocket and lemon

When I first moved to Rome 11 years ago, the only person I knew was my husband. I didn't speak a word of Italian beyond Ciao, so in an effort to fill my first days, I signed up for a week long cooking course with local ex-pat Diane Seed.  Truthfully I only remember one recipe from that course, but it's good, simple and quick one, the best kind! As soon the weather warms up, this is the perfect dish on the terrace with a glass of cold white wine. 

Ingredients:

1 box of linguine 

1-2 can or jar of good Italian tuna, buy the best you can

1 big handful of washed and roughly chopped wild rocket

the juice of 2 lemons

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2-3  whole dry red chili peppers (more or less depending on taste)

a splash of extra-virgin olive oil

To make:

1.) heat your oil on a medium flame with the garlic and chili peppers.

2.) as soon as the garlic starts to change color, add the drained tuna and stir while cooking over a low fire.

3.)remove the pan from the flame and place to the side while you cook the pasta. you can also remove the red chili now, as their spice will have already been absorbed by the tuna, garlic and oil mixture. 

4.)add your linguini to boiling slated water. make sure to take it out about 2 minutes less than what it says on the box! 

5.)once the pasta is done, drain it and add to the pan holding the tuna mixture and mix together while over a low flame. 

6.)squeeze the 2 lemons over the pasta and toss in the rocket, mixing it together. 

7.)remove the pan from the stove and mix well with wooden spoon and serve immediately!

Enjoy!