Wednesday 3 February 2010

Rubbish at this malarky!

Yep, I'm terrible. But as I don't think that anyone besides myself reads this anyway I don't suppose it matters that I only blog once a blue moon. I don't have much to say this time either - guilt simply got the best of me...
Jigglypuff's just fine, kicking away. It's the weirdest feeling ever but bloody lovely all the same. Eighteen weeks left to go, I honestly can't wait!
My poor excuse to blog this time is yet another recipe. It's dead simple and dead gorgeous. Now there's a quote for you! Seriously you'd have to be a total fool not to manage this one and your guests even bigger fools not to love it. Ok, here we are then:

Tasty Tuna Bake
Serves 4

For the tomato sauce
Olive oil
Knob of butter
1 chopped onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
6 chopped sundried tomatoes
Tablespoon of tomato puree
12 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters (vine ripened ones are best)
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Fresh torn basil
Teaspoon of oregano
Salt & Pepper

For the white sauce
40g butter
25g plain flour
425ml milk
Pinch of nutmeg
Pepper

Pasta
Tin of tuna
Cheddar cheese to top

Pre-heat the oven to 180C / gas mark 5. Fill a large pan with cold water and leave to boil, adding the pasta when ready. Heat the olive oil and butter in another saucepan then add the chopped onion, gently fry until golden. Turn down the heat a little and add the garlic (it's REALLY easy to burn garlic and then it tastes rank so do go steady!). Add the sundried tomatoes to the pan along with the tomato puree and cherry tomatoes. Stir occasionally until the tomatoes have started to fall apart. Finally add the tin of tomatoes, basil, oregano salt and pepper and leave to simmer.
For the white sauce add all the ingredients to a small saucepan on a medium heat then whisk occasionally until the sauce starts to thicken.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain then pour into a large ovenproof pot. Cover with the tomato sauce, then the tin of tuna and finally the white sauce and stir until completely mixed. Sprinkle with the cheddar then pop in the oven uncovered for 20 minutes until baked. Serve with some salad and a smile!

This dish is best consumed in cold weather with people who make you laugh - as are all dishes funnily enough ;)