Saffron-Tinted Pasta Salad With Tuna & Fresh Herbs

By Pooh

Ingredients

• 1 pound paccheri (or other short
• pasta such as penne)
• SEA SALT
• 1 can (6 to 7 ounces) good quality
• tuna in olive oil, drained
• 3/4 to 1 3/4 to 1 cup finely chopped mixed fresh
• herbs such as basil, flat leaf
• parsley, and mint
• 6 to 8 6 to 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut
• into small cubes
• 1 medium carrot, peeled, cut cross-
• wise into short lengths, then
• lengthwise into small matchsticks
• 1/4 cup black and/or green
• Mediterranean olives, pitted and
• slivered
• 1 heaping tablespoon salt-cured
• capers, soaked in water for a few
• minutes and drain

Preparation

Step 1

Place a large pot of cold water over high heat and bring to a boil; add salt. Add the pasta and cook until aldente.

Reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Whisk the saffron into the reserved cooking liquid and stir it into the pasta

Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the pasta, stirring well, and season with salt. Let the pasta cool, stirring from time to time; the pasta will absorb
most of the liquid and take on a saffron tone.

Flake the tuna into a small bowl. With a fork, mix in the chopped herbs. Add to the pasta, along with the mozzarella
carrot, olives and capers. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix throughly. Season to taste with more olive oil and salt. Let stand at room temperature for up to an hour or refrigerate.