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Grimoaldo Macchia

SPAGHETTI TONNO E POMODORI SECCHI
(​Spaghetti with tuna & dried tomatoes - adapted from the website of Casa Pappagallo)
Grimoaldo writes: my favourite recipe is this one: Spaghetti with Tuna and Sundried Tomatoes.
As a good musician and lover of pasta, I make a little 'variation on the theme', that is, in addition to the sun-dried tomatoes I add about 10 Olives and 10 tomatoes in oil (which are easy to make up) 
Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 15 min
​Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
  • 400g spaghetti
  • 300g tuna in oil
  • 80g dried tomatoes
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 hot pepper
  • A few basil leaves
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
METHOD
  1. To prepare spaghetti with tuna and dried tomatoes, boil the spaghetti in plenty of salted water and cook. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce as follows:
  2. Pour and heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Flavor the oil with a clove of garlic divided in half, from which you have removed the internal core, together with some chilli pepper cut into pieces.
  3. Chop the dried tomatoes into coarse pieces and as soon as the oil starts to sizzle, add them to the pan. Add a little pasta cooking water and leave to flavor for a few minutes.
  4. Remove the garlic clove from the sauce and add the drained tuna to the pan, together with some hand-chopped basil leaves, mix and season with salt.
  5. Drain the spaghetti al dente and transfer them to the pan with the sauce. Add, if necessary, a little pasta cooking water to mix the sauce with the pasta as best as possible.
  6. Serve the spaghetti with tuna and dried tomatoes with freshly ground pepper and decorate with basil leaves.
TIP: adding a little of the pasta water back with the pasta helps make it deliciously smooth.
Tuna with spaghetti and dried tomatoes
(Image created by AI)
Grimoaldo Macchia
Grimoaldo Macchia
Grimoaldo Macchia was born in Rome in 1972. He studied music at the Academy of Arts in Rome and is a very versatile musician being a composer, pianist, organist, arranger and conductor.
Grimoaldo graduated from the F. Morlacchi Conservatory of Perugia with honors in piano and composition. At the same time he continued his education as an organist and conductor. He then obtained with honors the Masters in Musicology applied to composition at the Conservatory of Perugia under the guidance of Stefano Bracci.

For many years Grimoaldo was a member of the liturgical commission for sacred music of the Diocese of Albano and was responsible for the diocesan choir. He was also titular organist of the Constantinian Basilica and Cathedral of San Pancrazio Martire during the celebrations animated by the Diocesan Choir of Albano and on the occasion of the consecration of the main altar, he had the opportunity to perform the "Toccata et Fuga", which he himself composed in honor of the Holy Father Benedict XVI.

Grimoaldo obtained the Diploma in Music Education with honors at the L. Reficie Conservatory of Frosinone. His compositions for organ are regularly performed all over the world. There are numerous CDs made entirely with his organ compositions, played by famous organists. From August 2014 to February 2017 he was principal organist at the Catholic Church of St. George and Zeno in Arth (Switzerland). From 2017 to 2021 he was principal organist at the Reformed Church of Birr.

He collaborates as organist and choirmaster with the Italian Mission in Lucerne and he is also pianist and arranger of the "Spirit of Hope Gospel Choir" in Nussbaumen. In June 2018 he obtained the DAS diploma in church music at the Lucerne School of Music. Since February 2022 he has been principal organist at the parish church of the Holy Spirit in Suhr-Gränichen. He is winner of 2nd prize at the International Organ Composition Competition "Angels of Creation" in London and 1st prize at the European Organ Composition Competition of Dudelange 2022 (Luxembourg).
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Since July 2024, Grimoaldo has been the titular organist of the two Catholic churches St. Maria and St. Martin in Thun, Canton Bern.
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