Filipino Puttanesca: Chef Jackie Ang Po’s Tuna and Tomato Pasta

Chef Jackie Ang Po unveiled a Filipino take on puttanesca that swaps anchovies for local umami and tilts the classic toward pantry-friendly practicality. The Tuna and Tomato Pasta, created for Arla Philippines and shared on January 18, 2026, pairs canned tuna and Sunny Farms tomatoes with shrimp stock, bagoong isda (fermented fish), calamansi, olives and basil to deliver a sauce that is familiar yet distinctly Filipino.

The recipe matters because it reframes a well-known Italian sauce for busy home cooks and community kitchens. Canned tuna stands in for fresh seafood as an accessible protein, Sunny Farms tomatoes anchor the sauce, and shrimp stock plus bagoong deepen the savory base. Calamansi provides the bright citrus lift that balances the dish, while olives and basil echo puttanesca’s Mediterranean roots. The result is a balanced, pantry-friendly meal that keeps weeknight timing and Filipino flavor preferences in mind.

Technique follows straightforward steps aimed at cooks who want direction without fuss. Start by sweating aromatics and building a tomato sauce with Sunny Farms tomatoes, then fold in shrimp stock to round the acidity. Stir in drained canned tuna so it flakes into the sauce rather than becoming a whole chunk, and dissolve a measured amount of bagoong isda to introduce that fermented, savory backbone. Finish with a squeeze of calamansi to brighten the sauce, and toss through cooked pasta until sauce-to-pasta ratio is cohesive. Garnish with sliced olives and torn basil to retain the puttanesca character.

Ingredient notes matter for replication and adaptation. Use canned tuna for convenience and stable pantry storage, and choose a concentrated shrimp stock to lend seafood depth without needing fresh shellfish. Bagoong isda transforms the sauce more than any single addition; its fermented complexity acts like anchovies in the original but reads as distinctly Filipino. Calamansi should be used sparingly at first, added to taste to avoid overpowering the other savory elements. Olives and basil maintain recognizable puttanesca markers so the dish still feels connected to its Italian lineage.

For community cooks this recipe offers practical value: it leverages shelf-stable items common in Filipino households while introducing a simple technique to marry Mediterranean structure with local ingredients. It’s a useful bridge recipe for family dinners, potlucks and small food events where time, cost and flavor all matter.

This adaptation signals a continuing trend of localizing global classics. Expect more home cooks to tweak pantry staples into regional takes, and try this version as a template—swap stocks, adjust the bagoong for intensity, and scale portions for sharing.