Tuna Pasta

Main Ingredients:
Uncooked pasta (penne or macaroni) — 8 oz
Tuna — 2 cans
Lemon- 1/2 for juice and lemon zest
Olive oil — 3 tbsp
Onion -1 small, chopped
Tomatoes -1 cup, diced
Garlic — 3 cloves, minced
Red pepper flakes — ½ tsp
Fresh parsley or cilantro — 2 tbsp, chopped
Black pepper — to taste
Reserved pasta cooking water — ¼ to ½ cup

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Wash and soak pasta. Boil plenty of salted water in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (about 8–10 minutes). Before draining, reserve about ¼ to ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium flame. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and golden. Then, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté gently until fragrant but be careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Add diced tomatoes. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften.
4. Add drained tuna to the skillet, breaking it into bite-sized chunks softly with your spatula. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Let it cook for 1–2 minutes.
5. Add drained pasta into the skillet with the tuna mixture. Pour in reserved pasta water a little at a time. Continue adding until the sauce becomes silky and cling to pasta.
6. Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped parsley or cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with optional garnishes — extra parsley, cilantro, parmesan, dill or a lemon wedge.