Budget-friendly tuna mornay

This is the ideal recipe for those weeknights when you just need something quick, easy and delicious to whip up for dinner without all the fuss of a lengthy ingredients list or method! With a handful of ingredients that you most likely already have within arms reach in your kitchen, this recipe will easily become your new favourite.

Don’t worry about breaking the budget with this one either as tuna and pasta are two of the cheapest things you can find at a supermarket that will still create something great. Serve this up with a fresh garden salad and you’ll be good to go!

Ingredients

• 250g dried spiral pasta
• 80g butter
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1 1/2 cups pure cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup grated tasty cheese
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 425g can tuna in oil, drained, flaked
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Grease 8-cup capacity ovenproof dish. Cook pasta in saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions. Drain.
2. Melt 30g butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until bubbling. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in combined cream and milk. Return to heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in tasty cheese. Season.
3. Meanwhile, melt 20g butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a bowl. Add tuna, pasta and cheese sauce. Mix well.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan in a bowl. Sprinkle over tuna mixture. Dot with butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve.