Quick and Easy Penne Pasta with Red Bell Peppers, Garlic, Capers, Olives, Tomatoes, and Tuna

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T finely minced garlic
• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 T chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 T capers
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes and juice
• 1 can tuna packed in olive oil, drained
• 8 oz. Penne pasta
• 2 T Gremolata for garnish

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large, high-sided frying pan that can fit the whole dish when it comes together.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the diced red bell pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes, just until it begins to soften. Add the Kalamata olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and capers, then cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Pour in the petite diced tomatoes with their juice and lower the heat so the sauce simmers gently. Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes.
4. Once the pasta water is boiling, salt it generously, add the pasta, and stir. Let the water return to a boil, then lower the heat to keep it at a gentle boil and cook until the pasta is just barely al dente, using the package timing as your guide.
5. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink, saving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before you drain it. If you are using gremolata, make it while the pasta is cooking.
6. After the sauce has simmered for 10 minutes, add the drained tuna and fold it in carefully. Cook just until the tuna is warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir gently to combine. If the sauce feels too thick, loosen it with the reserved pasta cooking water. Serve hot, with Gremolata on top if you like.