Get Your Hot Tuna Penne

DEAR SOS: I recently ordered a very delicious penne pasta with tuna, capers and tomatoes at I Cugini Trattoria in Santa Monica. Is there a way to obtain the recipe?

--LEORA

DEAR LEORA: All you have to do is ask. The chef has specific preferences for ahi tuna and De Cecca pasta; however, any other fresh tuna or pasta may be used. Many Italian chefs cook pasta with coarse sea salt, saying that the salt granules cause water to come to a rolling boil easily while keeping the pasta from absorbing too much salt.

I CUGINI TRATTORIA PENNE ALLA PUTTANESCA

16 cups water

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

1 pound penne pasta

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound ahi tuna loin, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 teaspoons table salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes

8 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/4 cup capers

2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olive halves

2 tablespoons pitted picholine olive halves

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Bring water and sea salt to boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tuna and sear, about 1 minute per side. Remove tuna and keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook until golden, about 30 seconds. Add table salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, capers and olives and cook until liquid from tomatoes is reduced, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cook 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon parsley and pasta. Carefully stir in reserved tuna. Toss with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.

Serve in warm pasta bowls. Garnish each bowl with remaining parsley.

8 servings. Each serving:

430 calories; 1,855 mg sodium; 17 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 19 grams protein; 0.85 gram fiber.

The Currant Ribs

DEAR SOS: Please print the barbecue spare rib recipe that appeared about 15 years ago. I remember my mother roasting the ribs in the oven on a rack, and the glaze contained currant jelly.

STEPHANIE

DEAR STEPHANIE: Here’s the still-popular recipe from way back in 1968. The name Cumberland Back Ribs implies use of currant jelly, a key ingredient in Cumberland sauce, of which this is just one variation.

CUMBERLAND BACK RIBS

4 to 6 pounds pork baby back ribs

1 tablespoon salt

2/3 cup Port wine

1/3 cup currant jelly

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Season ribs with 1 teaspoon salt. Place on rack in broiler pan 5 or more inches from heat source. Set oven temperature to 350 degrees and broil 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Combine wine, jelly, lemon juice, orange juice and hot pepper sauce in measuring cup. Combine cornstarch, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, ginger and mustard in saucepan. Gradually add liquid mixture and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.

Brush ribs with glaze and continue broiling, brushing with glaze and turning occasionally, until browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes more.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings:

356 calories; 963 mg sodium; 80 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 0.02 gram fiber.

* Serving bowl and towel from Homechef, Pasadena.