Tuna Mornay Pasta Bake

Makes: 5-6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Tick off the ingredients as you buy them

  • 350g penne pasta (or other short pasta)
  • 40g / 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 4 tbsp (50g) flour, plain/all purpose
  • 4 cups (1 litre) milk
  • 2 tsp Vegeta, or chicken or veg stock powder
  • 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan , finely shredded
  • 1/2 tsp each mustard powder, onion and garlic powder
  • 425g Sole Mare Tuna in Oil
  • 400g canned corn, drained
  • Crunchy Topping:
  • 25g / 1.5 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup (60g) panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4g (25g) Parmesan, finely grated
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Chives or parsley, optional garnish

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Crunchy Topping - Mix together.
3. Cook pasta per packet directions MINUS 1 minute. Drain then allow to cool slightly, then return into pot.
4. White Sauce - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add flour and stir into melted butter. While whisking, gradually pour in about 1/3 of the milk. Once the flour-butter mixture is incorporated into the milk, pour in remaining milk and whisk.
6. Add Vegeta, mustard, onion and garlic powder, whisk.
7. When the milk starts to heat up, whisk constantly to make sure the white sauce doesn’t catch on the base.
8. After 4 - 5 minutes, the sauce should be thick enough that you can draw a path across the back of a spoon. Remove from stove and stir in Parmesan.
9. Assemble & Bake - Add tuna into pasta and flake into large chunks with fork (not too much, don't want it to turn to mush when stirred). Add corn, pour over sauce, then gently stir.
10. Scrape into baking dish, top with Crunchy Topping.
11. Bake 25 minutes until top is golden and edges are bubbling. Sprinkle with chives if desired then serve!