Tuna melt pasta bake

Ingredients:

• Glug olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ¼ cup (60ml) butter
• ¼ cup (60ml) flour
• 4 cups (1L) milk
• Salt and milled pepper
• Juice (120ml) of 2 lemons
• 4 cans (120g each) tuna, drained
• ½ punnet (10g) fresh parsley, chopped
• 400g penne pasta, cooked for 6 minutes
• 200g PnP cheddar cheese, grated
• Handful cherry tomatoes (optional)
• 1 tsp (5ml) smoked paprika (optional)
• Salad and bread, for serving (optional)

Method

1. Heat oil in a pot and sauté onions for about 8 minutes, or until soft and golden.
2. Add garlic and butter and cook for a minute, allowing butter to melt completely.
3. Stir flour into butter and let the flour paste bubble for 10 seconds.
4. Add milk gradually while whisking, until all milk is added and the sauce is smooth. 
5. Cook for 2 minutes and season.
6. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, tuna and parsley.
7. Combine sauce and pasta and transfer to a large ovenproof dish.
8. Top with cheese, cherry tomatoes and paprika, if using.
9. Bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbly.
10. Serve hot out of the oven, with salad and bread on the side.

GOOD IDEA:

Add tomato paste to the white sauce for a tangy twist.

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