Tuna Tetrazzini

Tetrazzini is a baked pasta dish. I usually made chicken tetrazzini using leftover roast chicken but this time I decided to use tuna as canned tuna is a pantry staple in almost every home in the Maldives. 

My parents have loved this dish ever since I made a batch and sent it to them. What makes this delicious is the addition of mushrooms and chicken stock which flavours the sauce and the kick from chilli flakes.  If you can get them use fresh mushrooms or frozen mushrooms or even dried shitake mushrooms (soak them in hot water and remove stem and chop) or use canned mushrooms. 

Yield: 4-6

Author: Nammi

Print

Tuna Tetrazzini

Ingredients:

• 250g spaghetti
• 1/2 cup green peas, frozen or canned
• 1 can tuna, drained and flaked
• 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 large leek, sliced 
• 2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried herbs ( optional)
• 30g butter ( 2 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 cup water ( or chicken stock if u have)
• 1 chicken stock cube ( no need to use this if you are using the liquid chicken stock)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 50 g grated cheddar cheese
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste 

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pan of water to boil, and season generously with salt.  Cook the pasta until al dente', add the frozen peas right at the end of the cooking ( about 5 minutes before draining), drain, and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C, lightly oil an oven dish or a baking tray if you don't have an ovenproof dish. 
3. While the pasta cooks prepare the sauce. First, heat a large frying pan or pan large enough to mix everything in along with the pasta. Add olive oil,  and saute the leeks.
4.  Once the leeks soften add the garlic and mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes. 
5. Then add the tuna, herbs, pepper, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt. (  if using the canned peas add at this stage). Stir fry till everything is well mixed. Remove to a bowl.
6. Dissolve the stock cube in the water. Measure out milk. Add butter into the pan and let it melt, Stir in flour and mix over a low flame.  Once the flour and butter are well mixed, slowly add the milk, mixing as you pour. Stir in the stock.  
7. Keep stirring till the sauce starts to thicken.   Season with salt and pepper.  Once the sauce thickens, switch off and add a handful of grated cheese. 
8. In the prepared sauce stir in the cooked pasta, peas and tuna mixture and stir to combine. 
9. Pour into the prepared dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. 
10. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45 minutes till the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden. 
11. Serve with a nice green leafy salad.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @chilliesandlime on instagram and hashtag it #chilliesandlimeblog

Created using The Recipes Generator