Tuna pasta bake
This tuna pasta bake recipe is really fantastic. Don’t be put off by the milk flavoring process, it takes a few minutes but makes a huge difference to the flavor. This is another one of those recipes that should be printed and kept, it will feature regularly, is inexpensive to make and a really great tasting dish. You can use tinned tuna or tinned salmon. ( for 4 hungry people)
What you need
200g dry shell pasta (shells, twirly ones or even penne)
4/5 sprigs of parsley
1 small onion roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
8 black pepper corns
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons white wine or chicken stock
1 tablespoon granular mustard
450g tinned tuna or salmon
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
The process
Cook your pasta in a large pot until al dente, drain and set aside.
In a pot on a medium to high heat, add the milk, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves and parsley and bring it to the boil. Remove from the stove and set aside with a lid on for about 5 minutes or so. Strain the milk into a bowl and toss out the onion and spices.
Now add the butter and flour to a large pot on a medium heat and whisk to make a roux, whick like crazy and don’t allow it to brown. Add the milk and onion mix you have just made gradually, whisking constantly. Keep whisking until the flour is completely dissolved and the mixture begins to boil and thicken.
Now mix in the wine or chicken stock and the mustard and combine well. Remove from heat, add the tuna and the pasta and mix well.
Place the mixture into an oven dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese that have already been mixed together and bake in a 180 Celsius oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is browned.
It’s a really delicious meal this one, serve with a salad. if you like this type of recipe, your will also love the Chicken and broccoli bake recipe.
Thanks for this recipe. It really delicious. I think next time I will add more pasta. There is so much of the yummy sauce and in the end the casserole is a bit small. I think my family will gobble it up so fast I won’t have any to pack in my lunch.
Of course this was absolutely yummy Graham.. Thank you!
Fantastic, thanks for letting us know, finally back from a fabulous holiday and apologies for the late reply, happy 2012 G
No worries, glad your holiday was fabulous 🙂 Any way this recipe can be adapted to use chicken instead of the tuna?
Now whats confusing me, is that it says – Add the milk and onion mix you have just made gradually – but earlier the recipe said toss the onion and spices after draining the milk.
How do i understand this? Is it just the flavoured milk (of the onion & spices) that gets added?
Hi again Melissa, you are first flavouring the milk and then adding it, hope that helps. Cheers for now G
This dish is absolutely amazing, I’d recommend it to anyone. I’ve made it often.
Fantastic Phoebe, thanks for letting us know, cheers for now G
Hi
Thanks for the recipe. I’m a bit confused though. The recipe says 3cups of milk, but how much do I use for the onion mixture and how much for the white sauce?
Thanks
Hi Anthea, I can see how it’s confusing and have changed the recipe, you use the onion and milk mix to add to the roux, there is no additional milk. Have a lekker day, G