Pasta with Makerel and Capers (Mackerel Pantry Pasta)

Whether it’s mackerel, tuna, sardines, or trout that floats your boat in the tinned fish aisle, a couple of cans of good-quality fish turn a bare-bones pasta into something company-worthy. Tinned fish most often comes packed in either water or olive oil; we prefer them oil-packed because they’re much more flavourful out of the can. (Patagonia Provisions makes an especially delicious tinned mackerel in flavours like lemon caper and Spanish ground paprika.) The technique for this no-cook sauce, in which you warm the tinned fish in a heatproof bowl set over your pasta pot as the water boils, is borrowed from Joie Warner’s No-Cook Pasta Sauces and ensures the fish won’t dry out or become tough.

2 (4 oz) cans mackerel, boneless, packed in olive oil, drained
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 tsp. lemon zest, finely grated
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tbsp. capers, drained coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz spaghetti or other long pasta
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

To Serve:
chopped fresh parsley
lemon wedges

Place mackerel, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, 3 Tbsp. oil and ¼ tsp. sea salt in a large heatproof bowl. Season generously with pepper and toss to combine.

Set bowl over a large pot of generously salted water (bottom of bowl should not be touching water) and bring water to a boil. Carefully remove bowl from pot and set aside. (Gently warming the ingredients here allows them to mingle nicely with the hot pasta later.)

Cook pasta in same pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Using tongs, transfer pasta, along with any water clinging to strands, to bowl with mackerel mixture. Add Parmesan, red pepper flakes and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid to bowl and toss pasta with tongs, adding more pasta cooking liquid by the Tbsp. if needed, until cheese is melted and pasta is coated evenly in sauce, about 1 minute.

Divide pasta among bowls. Top with parsley, drizzle some oil over and season with more pepper. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over if desired.

Makes 4 servings.