Tuna Italiano Food

TUNA ITALIANO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic in oil until golden. Stir in onion and water and cook until onion is soft. Stir in the tuna with its oil, olives, beans, garlic salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer while pasta is cooking.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Toss pasta with tuna mixture, top with Romano and serve.

TUNA PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
• Cook pasta per packet directions, minus 1 minute. Drain, rinse under tap water to stop it sticking together, set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 3 minutes until golden.
• Add tomato, water, herbs, salt and pepper and tomato paste if using. Stir, bring to simmer, lower heat to medium and simmer energetically for 5 minutes (stir every now and then) until it thickens.
• Adjust salt to taste. Also add a touch of sugar if it tastes a bit sour (depends on quality of tomato).
• Turn the stove off, add pasta, stir in.
• Add tuna and GENTLY stir it in - don't break up the tuna so it disintegrates into mush. Leave some chunks on the surface (nice when it is golden).
• Drizzle with oil, top with cheese then bake for 20 minutes until golden and you get those nice crusty bits you see in the photos.
• Stand for 3 minutes then serve!

ITALIAN TUNA SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the lemon juice, capers and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. While continuing to whisk, drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. Whisk in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans to the dressing and mash gently with a spoon. Add the tuna, flaking it with a fork into bite-size pieces. Toss lightly to coat. Top the tuna mixture with the arugula, treviso, endive, shaved fennel, parsley leaves and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using your hands, toss the salad together, bringing the dressing up from the bottom of the bowl until everything is coated evenly.

ITALIAN TUNA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place spinach on a plate and microwave it for 6 minutes on HIGH to defrost it; place it in a clean kitchen towel and wring it dry; set aside.
• While the spinach is defrosting, get a big pot of water on the stove; bring to a boil; then salt the water liberally and cook the shells to al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat a deep large skillet over medium heat.
• Add in the olive oil, then melt the butter into the oil.
• When the butter melts, add in the onions and garlic; cook 4-5 minutes until tender.
• Sprinkle the flour around the pan and cook for a minute, then whisk in the wine-it will cook off and the mixture will thicken almost immediately.
• Whisk in the stock, then whisk in the milk and bring it to a bubble.
• Reduce heat slightly; season the sauce with nutmeg, hot sauce, and mustard; season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer 2-3 minutes to thicken; then add in the spinach, separating it as you add it to the sauce.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Back to the sauce, add in the tuna, flaking it as you go; then stir to combine.
• Heat the spinach and tuna for a minute or so.
• Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce.
• Transfer mixture to a casserole dish; cover it with the cheese.
• Place the casserole under the broiler for 2 minutes to brown the edges and the cheese.
• Top with parsley and serve.

TUNA ITALIANO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions (I find that 12 minutes is perfect, especially when using them in a casserole where there will be additional cooking).
• While the noodles are cooking, heat butter in medium frying pan and cook onions until tender but not brown.
• (Butter gives the recipe more taste but a non-stick spray can be used in place of butter. I don't recommend margarine- it doesn't melt properly.).
• Add soup, milk and cheese; heat and stir.
• Add tuna, mushrooms, olives, parsley and lemon juice.
• Stir well and heat through.
• Stir 1/2 of the cooked noodles into the tuna mixture. Mix well. Add more or all of the noodles as desired (the more noodles, the thicker the casserole consistency).
• Pour mixture into 2 qt casserole dish.
• (If doubling the recipe, use a 9"x13" pan.).
• Sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan cheese and the paprika.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• (Watch that noodles don't burn-- may need to cook only 20 minutes depending on your oven).
• Before removing from oven, sprinkle top with onion rings and bake an additional 5 minutes.
• Watch that the onion rings don't burn.

TUNA ITALIANO SALAD

Steps:

• Toss salad greens with tomatoes, onions and peppers in large bowl.
• Add dressing; mix lightly.
• Top with tuna and cheese.