Years ago, I discovered the culinary joy of canned tuna packed in olive oil. I love the meaty texture that flakes to perfection. There’s not a hint of mushy wateriness. It can be a delicious protein element in pasta dishes.

In this recipe, it teams with orecchiette, that small, round pasta with a concave shape. The name translates from Italian as “little ears.”

Just before serving, the dish is sprinkled with toasted panko breadcrumbs, giving the finished dish a lovely crunch. Buon appetito!

Orecchiette with Tuna, Red Onion, Dill, and Toasted Panko

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Salt for salting water

1 pound dried orecchiette pasta

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium-size red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice, about 3/4 cup

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2 (5-ounces each) cans of olive oil packed tuna, drained (leave some oil in the tuna, just drain off the excess)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Optional garnish: Snipped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on high heat. Add orecchiette and cook until just al dente following cooking time on the package. Give the pasta a couple of stirs while it is cooking to prevent it from sticking together. Remove 1 cup of cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta in a colander in the sink; give it a good shake to remove excess water.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil on medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add onion and cook about 1 minute. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to onion. Stir to combine and cook until garlic softens but doesn’t brown, about 1 minute (onion will still probably have a little crunch). Stir in tuna and dill; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved cooking water and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of water cooks away. Remove from heat.

3. In a small skillet, lightly toast the panko breadcrumbs on medium heat, shaking handle very frequently to redistribute the crumbs. Monitor it to prevent burning.

4. Serve pasta in shallow bowls topped with breadcrumbs. If you like, sprinkle with snipped fresh chives.

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com

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