Quick and easy Tuna pasta bake

Sometimes  I like to cheat when it comes to making certain recipes. Like this tuna pasta bake. The original recipe asks for a can of tomatoes but I found adding a bottle of pasta sauce makes it taste better. As any Maldivian would do I added some flavourings like onion, garlic and scotch bonnet for heat and some fresh basil in the end.

You can use any brand of tomato pasta sauce you like.

Yield: 4-6 Author: Nammi 

Quick and easy tuna pasta bake

prep time: 30 mins cook time: 30 mins Total time: 60 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups penne, fusilli or macaroni pasta
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 scotch bonnet, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 25g cheddar cheese grated
• 1 can tuna, oil or brine drained
• 1 bottle of ready-made tomato pasta sauce
• a handful of basil leaves
• 2 slices white sandwich bread or any leftover bread ( old bread)
• chilli flakes ( 1/4- 1/2 tsp)
• pinch dried oregano (optional )
• 1 small clove garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil.

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling hot water till almost al dente'.  Add the peas, in the last 5 minutes, into the pasta. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.  Place the pasta and peas in a large bowl.
2. Heat some olive oil about 2 tbsp in a frying pan,  and saute' the onions and  2 cloves of garlic till they soften. Add the scotch bonnet and the can of tuna into the mix and stir fry for 1 minute switch off after seasoning with a little salt and pepper. 
3. Add this mixture to the bowl containing pasta. 
4. Stir in 1/2 the bottle of pasta sauce, along with the reserved pasta cooking water and half the cheddar cheese into the pasta mixture. Stir in finely sliced or torn up basil in.  Taste before adjusting the seasoning.  
5. Transfer this mixture into an ovenproof dish or baking tray.  Set aside.
6. Crumble the bread into small pieces or crumbs. Or you can whizz it in the processor. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in the pan ( can use the same pan you used for making the tuna mixture. ) Stir in the remaining clove of garlic and the bread crumbs. Toss quickly so the bread gets coated with the mixture and the aroma of garlic comes through. Stir in dried oregano if using and chilli flakes. 
7. Sprinkle this flavored crumbs mixture on top of the pasta and then top with the remaining grated cheddar. 
8. Pop into a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for  20-30 minutes till the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling.
9. Remove from oven, let it settle for 10 minutes and then serve with a nice big leafy salad.

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