Tuna & Cherry Tomato Pasta Bake

 A quick and easy dinner for those days when you need yum on the fly.

Sometimes a quick dinner is exactly what you need. Don’t get me wrong, I really, really, really love to cook… but sometimes having a little more time for something else is exactly what you need. Less time in the kitchen = more time to unwind before the next whirlwind of a day comes along.

The ultimate speedy version of this dish involves prepping the pasta over the weekend or a couple of days in advance and pouring it into an oven-proof dish, complete with a topping of grated mozzarella. Refrigerate until you need it. From there, all it needs is 15 minutes in the oven while you change out of your work clothes or tend to a chore or two. Before you know it, *beep beep beep* – dinner is ready!

 

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Tuna & Cherry Tomato

Pasta Bake

Serves 4

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Ingredients

250g dried penne pasta, cooked

200-250g canned tuna

1 medium brown onion, diced

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

2 handfuls cherry tomato, halved

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1 egg yolk

2 tbsp grated parmesan

1/2 cup water or vegetable stock

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3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

pinch of salt & pepper

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50g grated mozzarella

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C degrees.

2. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick pan sauté the brown onion with the olive oil until translucent and soft, then add in the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Place the cherry tomatoes into the pan and let cook for a few minutes until they begin to lose their shape. Turn down the stove to low heat, adding the cooked pasta to the pan.

3. In a bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolk, parmesan and stock/water until they come together. Pour this liquid straight onto the pasta and stir to coat the pasta. Add in the tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, then stir again. Taste for seasoning, adding more if necessary.

4. Pour the pasta into a baking tin or casserole dish. Top with the grated mozzarella, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is browned (bake for 15 minutes if the pasta is just out of the refrigerator). Serve hot or cold with a side of salad.

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