Pasta with mackerel, olives, and tomatoes

Pasta with mackerel, olives, and tomatoes is a simple, flavorful dish that epitomizes the concept of Mediterranean cooking. Here’s the recipe to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (for example, spaghetti or bucatini)
• 200 g of filleted mackerel, skin removed
• 150 g of cherry or grape tomatoes
• 80 g of black olives (pitted is better)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh parsley to taste
• 1 chili pepper (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Start by boiling the water for the pasta in a large pot. Add salt once the water starts to boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions to achieve an al dente texture.
2. While the pasta is cooking, wash and cut the tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size.
3. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a wide pan and add the peeled garlic cloves. If you desire a spicy touch, you can also add the chopped chili pepper.
4. Place the mackerel in the pan and let it cook for a few minutes, until it begins to flake slightly. Then, remove the garlic cloves.
5. Add the cut tomatoes and black olives to the pan and let them cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened slightly.
6. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and transfer it to the pan with the mackerel, tomatoes, and olives. Stir well so that the pasta is thoroughly seasoned with the sauce.
7. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Serve the pasta hot, with a drizzle of raw olive oil if you like. This dish is a tribute to the flavors of the sea and the land, and the simplicity of the ingredients makes it an eternally appreciated classic.

### Curiosity Mackerel is a bluefish commonly found in Italian seas and rich in Omega-3, important for heart health. This dish combines the goodness of fish with that of olives and tomatoes, all staple foods of the Mediterranean diet.