“Navy-Style” Pasta with No Meat

Have you woken up from the New Year’s gatherings? Have you finished with all your traditional New Year’s dishes? Excellent!

Today we’re cooking “navy-style” pasta / makarony po-flotski (Russian: макароны по-флотски). It is a favorite dish of many. A memory of childhood for almost every Russian person.

Meat, pasta, onion – done! Today, I offer an excellent alternative, an easier and much more healthy variant of this dish, where meat does not have a place.

This unique recipe came to my mind when our grandmother, having come once again to visit, decided to feed her grandchildren a “native” dish.

 As you know, I do not like to just say no. I like to replace. I decided to use tuna instead of the usual meat.

The similar dense texture of steamed tuna is an exact replica of the taste and smell of boiled meat. It’s incredible how easy it is to replace a heavy meat with tuna and have it go unnoticed, preserving the original taste and flavor.

With my “invention” that day, I managed not to offend my grandmother and feed my boys. Tuna can be used as simply as possible, even if frozen. I use gluten-free pasta, but you can use regular pasta.

As they say, less is more, and in our case, also more delicious!

Ready? Set? Let’s go cooking!

What’s needed: (for 3 servings)

1 large tuna steak about 225-250 g/half a pound (I use frozen fish.)

Gluten-free pasta for 3 people

1/4 large white sweet or regular onion bulb

1 bay leaf

Vegetable oil for frying + 2-3 Tbsp. water

Salt, black pepper (to taste)

Boil the pasta and set it aside.

Put oil in a frying pan, and add the fish to it. Pepper and salt. Close the lid and simmer. Remember, it should not be roasted.

Cut the onions.

Turn the fish upside down, and put a bay leaf on it. It removes the fishy smell and gives the fish a very simple and unflavored aroma. Add pepper if you wish.

Check if the fish is cooked with a fork, drain the liquid, remove the bay leaf and put the fish in the blender.

Grind it.

In a skillet, add an onion and saute in oil, then add the fish.

When finished, add the pasta.

All done! A familiar smell, familiar taste, but a new level of health that your loved ones deserve.

Bon appétit!

And again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!