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Spicy Tomato–Tuna Noodle Skillet Casserole With Aioli

Inspired by a dish at Brooklyn’s Saint Julivert Fisherie, this updated take on classic tuna noodle casserole is homey, bright, and pantry-forward. Chef and owner Alex Raij modeled the menu item after fideuà, a paella-style pasta dish from northern Spain. We followed her lead by toasting dry pasta like ditali or rigatoni in oil until golden brown before cooking it into the tomato sauce, giving the pasta nutty flavor and plenty of al dente texture.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    45 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

Aioli

1 large egg yolk
1 garlic clove, finely grated
¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
½ cup (or more) extra-virgin olive oil

Casserole and Assembly

1 medium onion, cut into large pieces
2 garlic cloves
½ cup coarsely chopped roasted red peppers from a jar
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
12 oz. rigatoni, mezzi rigatoni, ditali, or other short or medium-length straight tube pasta
2 (5–6-oz.) cans or jars oil-packed tuna
1 oil-packed anchovy fillet, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. double-concentrated or regular tomato paste
1 (14.5-oz.) can crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, crushed
1 tsp. ground turmeric
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Coarsely chopped parsley (for serving; optional)

Preparation

  1. Aioli

    Step 1

    Whisk egg yolk, garlic, ¼ tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. water in a small bowl to combine. Place bowl on a kitchen towel so it won’t slide around as you whisk and gradually stream in oil, whisking constantly until thick and emulsified. Aioli should be thick but pourable; gradually whisk in more oil if needed. Taste and season with more salt if desired.

  2. Casserole

    Step 2

    Place rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Pulse onion, garlic, and roasted red peppers in a food processor until finely chopped; set aside.

    Step 3

    Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a 10” ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-low. Add pasta and cook, stirring often, until evenly coated in oil and lightly browned, about 5 minutes (depending on the size and shape of your pasta, you may need to work in batches). Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl. Reserve pan.

    Step 4

    Drain tuna, reserving 2 Tbsp. tuna oil. place oil in reserved pan and increase heat to medium. Add anchovy, ½ tsp. salt, and reserved chopped vegetable mixture and season with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 5–7 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Mix in toasted pasta, tomatoes, turmeric, red pepper flakes, remaining ½ tsp. salt, and 2½ cups water and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is slightly softened, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in drained tuna and ¼ cup water.

    Step 5

    Transfer skillet to oven and bake casserole until pasta is tender and juices at the edges are bubbling, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

    Step 6

    Heat broiler. Drizzle casserole with a little olive oil and broil until browned and crisped in spots, about 4 minutes.

    Step 7

    Spoon some aioli over casserole and top with parsley if desired. Serve remaining aioli alongside.