Tuna Pasta Bake...

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This recipe is great - it makes enough for a 'generous' meal for 4. If you only want to make it for one or two, just alter the measurements accordingly, but this actually freezes and reheats incredibly well, so worth making the extra portions!.


Mathematically, I like this recipe as most of the ingredients are in multiples of 30 - OK so you could go with 250g of cheese - basically you can alter the mixture of ingredients to taste. The one thing to remember is that unless you like you pasta 'crunchy', make sure there's enough white sauce and cheese to cover it when it's in the oven.

(Photos to follow next time I make this...)

Ingredients

• 600g dried pasta (basically a whole large pack)
• 60g butter
• 60g plain flour
• 600ml milk (full fat or skimmed - it don't matter none!)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove of garlic peeled
• salt & pepper
• 300g strong cheddar , grated
• 300g tuna steak (2 x 150g(ish) cans) preferably in water, drained (if in oil give it a thorough rinse in a sieve under a cold running tap)
• 300g(ish) can sweetcorn , drained
• Large handful chopped parsley or  1 - 2 tbsp dried chili flakes (to taste)
• 120g Breadcrumbs

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. 


Tip all of the pasta into a large saucepan of boiling well salted water.  Bring back to the boil and cook for about 8 mins (or 2 mins less than it says on the pack). 

The Sauce

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.


Gradually whisk in the milk a splash at a time until you have a thick sauce.


Stick the bay leaf and the garlic clove and season with salt and pepper to taste.


Continue to heat through stirring frequently for 2 mins.  This lets the bay leaf and garlic infuse.  Don't let the sauce boil!


Remove from the sauce heat and stir in all but a handful of cheese.  

A White Sauce??? OMG - HELP!!!

OK, calm down, dear.. so some people are intimidated by making their own white sauce, but it really is (fairly) easy...


The flour is cooked with the butter for a minute - if you don't do this then your sauce with taste very 'floury'. You will need to 'agitate' the mixture throughout this stage to stop it form burning or sticking, but you will find that a minute is actually not very long. Have your milk ready!.


Once the flour and butter has been cooked, start off by adding about 100ml of milk, whisk until smooth.


Then add about 100ml at a time whisking until smooth each time. 


Keep stirring and after a few minutes you will end up with a nice smooth white sauce.


Don't add the cheese whilst the sauce is on the heat otherwise it may 'split' (i.e. the fat separates from the rest of the cheese - not a massive problem, just doesn't look nice and gives the sauce a slightly 'fatty' texture).


By briefly infusing with the garlic and bay leaf it just lends the sauce an extra subtle dimension. 

The 'Bake'

Drain the pasta and bung it in a big mixing bowl.

Add the white sauce (take the bay leaf and garlic out first if you can find them!), tuna, sweetcorn and parsley / chili flakes - taste and season if required.

Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish (you may need two!) and top with the breadcrumbs then the rest of the grated cheese. 

Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese on top is golden and starting to brown.

Freezing / Reheating

Allow the remaining pasta bake to cool, then freeze in plastic containers with lids.  We re-use those plastic tubs that you get with takeaways as they are a perfect measure for a single portion.

To reheat in a microwave - per portion.

Crack the lid then heat on full power for 3 mins.

Empty onto a plate fork it a bit then splash over a couple of tablespoons of water.

Heat for a further 2 mins. Fork through.

Ensure the mixture is piping hot - if not just blast for another 30 secs or so...

Sorry - I have no idea how to reheat in the oven, but if you do, make sure you take it out of the plastic container first!...

Bonus Recipe! - Cauliflower Cheese

...for when you're missing one of your 5 a day...

Substitute the pasta and fish with a large cauliflower, leave out the parsley / chili flakes.

Add a teaspoon on english mustard to the white sauce.

Cut the leaves off the cauliflower, cut into florets and in a large pan of salted water, boil until tender (about 10-15mins).

Drain and then arrange the florets in your baking dish(es), pour over the sauce, sprinkle breadcrumbs and cheese and bung in the oven... yum...