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Tuna,
pasta, fresh vegetables and olives baked with tomato sauce
and cheese sauce until golden. This recipe is a little time-consuming
to prepare, but you'll find the end result makes it all
worthwhile. Delicious served with a fresh salad.
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| 2
tablespoons extra
virgin olive oil |
| 1
red onion—chopped |
| 1
red pepper (capsicum)—julienned |
| 2
cloves garlic—finely
chopped |
| 1
zucchini (courgette)—sliced into ¼-inch
rounds |
| 14
oz (420g) canned tomatoes—chopped |
| ½
cup white wine |
| 6
oz (180g) canned light-meat tuna in olive oil—drained
and broken into chunks |
| 8
pitted black olives—sliced
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| 1
tablespoon chopped fresh basil |
| ½
teaspoon salt |
| ¼
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
| 8
oz (240g) pasta (fusilli
is perfect, or use penne, shells or farfalle) |
| 2
cups milk |
| 4
tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour) |
| ½
cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese |
| ½
cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese |
| ½
teaspoon salt |
PREHEAT
the oven to 200°C/400°F. HEAT the oil in a large frying
pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and red pepper for
5 minutes, stirring occasionally. ADD the garlic and zucchini
and cook for another 2 minutes. ADD the tomatoes, wine, tuna,
olives, basil, salt and pepper, bring to the boil then cover
with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
WHILE the sauce is simmering, cook
the pasta and prepare the cheese sauce. HEAT 1¾
cups of the milk in a saucepan over a medium-high heat until
almost boiling. MIX together the remaining ¼ cup of
milk with the cornstarch until well combined. STIR the cornstarch
mixture into the hot milk and continue stirring until thick
and creamy. STIR in the grated cheeses and salt until well
combined. DRAIN the cooked pasta into a colander, and put
the tomato-tuna sauce in the bottom of the pot. TOP with the
hot pasta and toss together to combine well. SPREAD half the
pasta mixture in the bottom of a lightly oiled baking dish
and spoon half the cheese sauce evenly on top. SPREAD the
remaining pasta evenly over the sauce, then spoon the rest
of the cheese sauce over to cover. BAKE for 20 minutes, then
remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Variations:
Many other combinations of ingredients can be used. For
instance, try other vegetables such as asparagus spears
or broccoli florets; use fresh parsley instead of basil;
add chopped capers or sun-dried tomatoes instead of olives;
and replace the canned tuna with canned beans or red salmon.
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