Tuna Casserole

Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins

What can I say? I found two cans of tuna in the back of the cupboard and wanted to use them. Usually, I find the very notion of tuna casserole disgusting. It brings to mind a dry, tasteless, and often mushy mess. So I experimented and tweaked a few recipes I found online. I used a spiral pasta, which I think worked really well. And I threw in a red pepper, but I forgot the peas!!! Next time, I’ll add one cup of frozen peas.

Serves 7 hungry mouths with generous second helpings.

INGREDIENTS:

500g pasta
2 cans, cream of celery soup
2 cans, milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp butter
Olive oil for cooking
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Cook the pasta ahead to time. Make sure to undercook it by a few minutes. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Cook the onion and pepper in a little oil. Add a splash or two of beer as well, if you happen to be drinking one at the time…
Put the cooked pasta, onion, and pepper into a casserole dish (9″ x 13″).
In a saucepan, mix together the cream of celery soup, milk, cheese, and mayonnaise. Gently warm until the cheese is fully melted and the mixture becomes runny.
Pour the mixture over the pasta. Stir well to combine.
Cook the casserole uncovered for 20 mins.
When the time is almost up, melt your butter in a small bowl. Mix together with the breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle the buttery breadcrumbs over the top of your casserole. Bake for a further five minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden and crispy.
Remove the casserole from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.
Enjoy!