Spagetti With Tuna Balls and Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

I  saw these tuna balls recipe in bbcgoodfood.com, where pasta was served with these tuna balls made with canned tuna. Of course, as you know canned tuna is a pantry staple in my home so I just had to give it a try. The boys and hubby loved it, I tried a couple of sauces along with it, but this one , made using fresh cherry tomatoes came out the winner and didn't mask the delicate tuna balls taste.

I was planning to use regular tomatoes but on my regular visit to my usual grocery shop, Seagull Store I saw these gorgeous cherry tomatoes grown locally in the island of Maafahi. You can use regular tomatoes, chopped roughly and substitute fresh basil in place of the curry leaves for a different taste.

Recipe : Spagetti with Tuna Balls and Fresh Cherry Tomato sauce.

For the Tuna Balls
1 can tuna, drained
2 slices sandwich bread( or 50g fresh breadcrumbs)
juice and zest of 1/2 lime
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 finely chopped chilli (optional)
salt

Sauce:
225-250g cherry tomatoes(halved) or regular tomatoes (chopped)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4cup water
1/4-1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes ( more if you love the spicier kind)
1 sprig ( about 12 leaves) curry leaves
1/2  cup pasta cooking water

250g spaghetti
50g parmesan cheese ( if you dont have any, 1 tsp cream cheese spread )

olive oil

First, prepare the tuna balls,  Flake the can of fish into a bowl, and Process the bread into crumbs in the food processor.  Add to the bowl, along with chilli, lime juice, zest, pinch of salt, pepper and onion. Mix with your fingers, taste and adjust salt and seasoning. Then add egg yolk.  Mix well and shape into small balls, you will be able to make about 14 mini bite-size balls. Leave to chill in the fridge for an hour, covered with cling film.

After an hour, heat a little oil, about 3-4 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan.  Add the tuna balls carefully and let them brown, Do not fiddle with them, give a few minutes before you carefully turn them, as they are quite delicate. Brown all the sides, making sure you don't burn them. Remove to a plate.

Bring a large pan of water to boil with salt and cook your spaghetti till aldente.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce, heat the frying pan you were using ( that is if its a large deep one, otherwise go for a larger pan,  add the garlic and curry and cook for 2 minutes till they give out their aroma.

Add the tomatoes and curry leaves, 1/4 cup water and the dried chillies flakes and let it simmer, covered for a few minutes.  Remove the lid, add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water from the pasta pot, let it simmer, give a little taste, add salt to taste and ground black pepper to taste. Add the tuna Balls to the sauce.( now if you using a cream cheese spread I suggest you add a spoonful now before adding the salt, taste again and add seasoning if needed, you dont really have to add the cream cheese spread , it tastes great even without the cheese at all.) 



Drain the pasta and add to the pan, you might need a little more of the cooking water when mixing so set aside a 1/4 cup. Stir the pasta into the sauce  ( now on low heat)and toss carefully so you don't break the tuna balls. Add a little cooking water if you need to loosen the sauce a bit.  Switch off the heat, take the pan off the heat and stir in parmesan cheese.

 Serve as soon as possible .