Dal Plin at St. Roch Market brings a little bit of Italy to Miami, in the form of handmade fresh pasta. Their Sunshine Bucatini marries tender noodles with light, bright ingredients like sushi-grade ahi tuna, sweet grape tomatoes, fresh mint, basil, and parsley, and bright citrus zest. Garlic and white wine add extra spark to the sauce, for a perfect, easy summer dinner. You can use dried pasta to make this if need be, but seeking out good fresh pasta is definitely worth it, and really makes the dish special. And while the contrast of the hot pasta and cold marinated tuna is lovely, if you’re not a big fan of totally raw fish, you can toss the marinated tuna in the hot pasta and sauce for a couple minutes to cook it at least partway through.

Note: If you can’t find or don’t wish to buy balsamic glaze, you can make it yourself by simply bringing 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil and simmering it until it’s reduced to about 1/4 cup; the texture will have thickened to that of syrup. You’ll only need a few drops for this recipe, but you can store the leftovers in the fridge and use them to glaze meats and vegetables, to garnish salads and other dishes, or drizzled over fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Get more deliciously grown-up tuna recipes here, and go here for lots more pasta recipes.

  • WHAT TO BUYBalsamic GlazeBalsamic glaze is simply balsamic vinegar that’s been reduced down to a thicker, sticky, sweet-tart syrup, which is great on all sorts of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. You may also find bottles labeled “reduction of balsamic vinegar” or “balsamic glace.”Buy Now ›
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 30 min
  • Active: 15 min

Ingredients (19)

For the tuna:

  • 10 ounces fresh, sushi-grade ahi tuna loin
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 small scallions, white part only, sliced
  • 5 medium fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 8 medium fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 4 fresh Italian parsley branches, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • few drops balsamic glaze
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta and sauce:

  • 24 ounces fresh bucatini pasta 6oz each
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 small pack organic grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup white wine (like Chardonnay)
  • 4 fresh Italian parsley branches, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cut the ahi tuna loin into 1/4-inch thick slices, then dice into 1/4-inch cubes.
  2. Place the tuna in a mixing bowl, add the olive oil, scallion, basil, mint, parsley, orange zest, lemon zest, and balsamic glaze, and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Cover and place in refrigerator.
  3. Over high heat, bring a stock pot full of salted water to a boil (use the kosher salt to season it until it tastes like the ocean). Add the fresh pasta and cook for about 5 minutes, or according to package directions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to ensure the strands don’t stick together.
  4. Meanwhile, in a saute pan big enough to hold all the pasta, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  5. When oil is shimmering, add the minced garlic and stir constantly, for just a few seconds or until it starts to turn golden. Be careful not to let it burn. As soon as it takes on some golden color, deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any garlic that is sticking. Add the halved grape tomatoes and stir, and let the alcohol evaporate.
  6. The pasta should be done after about 5 minutes; drain it and add to the pan along with the parsley, tossing for a few minutes in the sauce so all the pasta is nicely coated.
  7. Place 6 ounces of pasta into each of 4 serving bowls, then place 2 1/2 ounces of the cold marinated tuna on top of each serving while the pasta is still hot. Serve immediately, with a garnish of micro greens and additional lemon and orange zest if desired.