SPICY TUNA PASTA BAKE

This spicy tuna pasta bake is super easy and quick to make but tastes fantastic and looks impressive! All ingredients are readily available so this is something you can rustle up, without breaking a sweat, even after work to feed a crowd. The sun-dried tomatoes and olives add a grown up twist and make this bake stand out from your bog standard tuna pasta bake! I hope you enjoy!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

400g dried fusilli pasta - as someone that doesn't do too well when eating gluten I went for Barilla's gluten free version (available at Tesco) which tasted fantastic and none of my friends would have guessed it wasn't normal pasta.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

900g tomato passata

1 tablespoon dried Italian mixed herbs

2 teaspoons white sugar

11/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes

300g jar of pitted black olives (I love these)

150g sundried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped

425g can tuna in olive oil, drained, flaked

70g grated mozzarella cheese

70g grated cheddar cheese

Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve


METHOD

• Preheat oven to 200 C/180 C fan-forced.
• Cook pasta following packet directions, until almost tender (I under-cooked it by 3 minutes from packet instructions as it will be baked later). Drain well. Return to pan.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over high heat. Cook garlic and onion, stirring, for 3 minutes or until light golden. Add passata, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, sugar and salt. Season with pepper. Add chilli, to taste. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3 minutes.
• Pour sauce over pasta in pan. Add olives and tuna. Toss to combine. Transfer mixture to a 12-cup-capacity baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Best served with, of course, an Aperol Spritz! I added some cranberries to mine on this occasion for a festive twist!