Seared Tuna Puttanesca over Roasted Spaghetti Squash

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A coastal Italian dinner built on a punchy no-cook-down-forever puttanesca of tomatoes, olives, capers and anchovy, spooned over strands of roasted spaghetti squash and topped with thick tuna steaks seared rare. Grain-free and dairy-free by nature, with all the salty, garlicky depth of the classic.

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash (about 3 lb)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 6 fillets oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 3 tbsp capers, rinsed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 4 ahi or yellowfin tuna steaks, 6 oz each and 1 1/4 inches thick
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve the spaghetti squash lengthwise with a heavy knife and scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut faces with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the black pepper.
2. Place the halves cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until a paring knife slides easily into the skin and the strands separate when raked with a fork. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
3. While the squash roasts, make the sauce. Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic, chopped anchovies and red pepper flakes and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the anchovies melt into the oil and the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
4. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes with their juices, the olives, capers, oregano and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 18 to 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens and a spoon dragged through the pan leaves a brief trail. Stir in half the parsley, then keep warm over low heat.
5. Pat the tuna steaks completely dry and season both sides with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat the avocado oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just begins to wisp smoke, about 3 minutes.
6. Lay the tuna in the pan without crowding and sear undisturbed for 90 seconds per side for rare (2 1/2 minutes per side for medium, which will read 125°F at the center). Transfer to a cutting board and rest 3 minutes.
7. Rake the roasted squash into strands with a fork and divide among four warm shallow bowls, discarding the shells. Spoon the puttanesca generously over the strands.
8. Slice each tuna steak against the grain into 1/2-inch pieces and fan over the sauce. Scatter with the remaining parsley, drizzle with any pan juices, and serve with lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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