Serves 1 + leftovers for a salad (see below)
Time: 15-20 minutes
Cost: Under £1 a portion

150-200g pasta twists or bows (farfalle)
Half a bunch (4-5) spring onions or a leek
2-3 tbsp olive oil
185g can of tuna, drained
Grated rind and juice of half a lemon, ideally organic*
A handful of fresh parsley (about 20g), finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Bring a kettle of water to the boil, pour into a saucepan and bring back to boiling point. Add a little salt, add the pasta, stir and cook for slightly less than the time recommended on the pack. Trim the roots and tops of the leaves off the spring onions (unless pre-prepared). Cut them in half or quarters lengthways depending on how thick they are then cut across into 4 or 5 pieces to give fine, short shreds. (Or trim, finely slice and wash the leek).

Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a small pan, add the onion or leek and cook gently for a minute or two until softened. Add the drained tuna, lemon rind and parsley, stir and leave over a low heat. When the pasta is cooked spoon 3-4 tbsp of the pasta cooking water into the sauce and drain the rest. Return the pasta to the saucepan, tip in the tuna sauce and toss well together. Serve half the pasta adding a little extra olive oil, pepper and possibly salt to taste (though the tuna may be quite salty). Cool the remainder, cover with cling film and refrigerate.

Pasta salad with tuna, lemon and parsley
Ideally bring the leftover pasta to room temperature about an hour before you want to eat. You can eat it just as it is or stir in a tablespoon of mayo mixed with a tablespoon of plain yoghurt


TOP TIPS

* Organic lemons are unwaxed which makes them more suitable for grating but sometimes you can only buy them in packs of 4 which can be expensive.

* It’s easiest to grate the rind you need from the whole lemon then cut it to squeeze it rather than cut it in half first.

 

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