Recipe: tuna penne

Ingredients to make a hearty lunch for one or a dinner with added vegetables:

40g penne pasta (I used wholewheat)
one shallot or very small onion, thinly sliced
spray oil
a few lardons, chopped small (optional)
half a red or orange pepper, chopped
two mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
half a can of chopped tomatoes, pureed smooth (or the same amount of passata)
garlic granules to taste
a few dried chilli flakes to taste
salt and pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
one small can of non drain tuna
30g grated strong cheddar (or the equivalent heAs-worth of any melting cheese)

Method:
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.  Drain and set aside, retaining a little of the cooking water.

Preheat the oven to 180C

Spray a pan with oil, add the onion and lardons and sizzle, stirring nor and again, until the onion starts to soften.  Then add the pepper and the mushroom and continue to sizzle for a few minutes, adding a splash of water, if necessary.

Pour in the tomato puree/passata, add the garlic granules and the chilli flakes, stir well, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about ten minutes.  If it seems too watery (it shouldn't) just simmer with the lid off for a few minutes.  Add the balsamic vinegar and season to taste.

Take the pan off the heat, add the tuna, broken up a bit with a fork, and the cooked penne with a couple of tbsp of the reserved cooking water if needed.  Gently stir the mixture.

Tip it all into a suitably sized ovenproof dish, top with the grated cheese and bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and it is all bubbling well.

Enjoy!

SW facts
one heA for the cheese
If oil is used, rather than spray oil (frylight), it is two syns per tsp.