1/2 cup chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 6-ounce cans olive-oil packed tuna (do not drain)

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives (or more if desired)

1 to 2 cups grape tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta to package directions. Drain pasta and toss with sun-dried tomatoes, oil, lemon juice, pepper, onions, garlic, basil and parsley. Fold in tuna, olives and tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

Options: Add chopped celery, peas or other favorite veggies. — Valerie Phillips

TUNA SANDWICH

1/4 of white onion, thinly sliced

1/8 of a small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, plus additional to taste

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste

Black pepper to taste

1 6-ounce can tuna packed in olive oil, including olive oil

Lemon juice to taste

2 kaiser rolls, plain

Lettuce leaves, combination of Boston, green-leaf or other green leafy lettuce

8 tomato slices

6-8 hard-boiled eggs slices

4 anchovy fillets, drained

Olives

Scallions, chopped, for garnish

Radishes, sliced, for garnish

In a bowl, combine the red and white onion with extra-virgin olive oil, red-wine vinegar, salt and several grinds of black pepper.

Using your hands, mix and squeeze everything together for 5 minutes. (Don't rush through this part; the onions need time to release their juices and mellow.)

Add the tuna, including the oil. Season with the fresh lemon juice and add more pepper to taste.

Cut kaiser rolls in half crosswise and spread each bottom half with lettuce leaves. Use a couple of varieties for the difference in texture.

On top of each lettuce layer, arrange 4 tomato slices. Then add about half the tuna mixture and 3 to 4 slices of hard-boiled egg.

Crisscross each sandwich with two drained anchovy fillets and strew with olives, chopped scallion greens, and sliced radishes. Then drizzle generously with more olive oil and top with the remaining kaiser halves, pressing gently but firmly. — Gourmet, February 2001

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E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com