Tuna Bake

"Just in time for your Good Friday seafood feast, this Tuna Bake recipe has become a family favourite in our house. The addition of Meredith Dairy Goats Cheese and Pineapple puts a different spin on a classic dish. Put this on your table this weekend and watch it magically disappear!" Recipe by Tim Bone

Serves 8 people

Ingredients

3 cups of milk
50g butter
2 heaped tbsp plain flour
2 garlic cloves, smashed
6 whole peppercorns
2 sprigs of parsley
2 sprigs of dill
3 bay leaves
pinch of nutmeg
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
440g tinned pineapple pieces, drained
425g tinned tuna in springwater, drained
100g baby spinach
500g spiral pasta
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of grated parmesan
100g crumbled Meredith Dairy Marinated Goat Cheese
zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped dill

Preparation

Step 1 Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius⁣.
Step 2 Cook pasta as per packet instructions. When cooked, drain and put back into pot.⁣
Step 3 For the bechamel, add milk to a saucepan. Add the garlic, peppercorns, parsley, dill, bay leaves and nutmeg. Bring to just before boiling over low heat. Turn off the heat and let infuse for 10 minutes. Strain milk through a sieve into a jug⁣
Step 4 In another saucepan, melt the butter until foaming over medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and slowly add the infused milk in stages, stirring well to avoid lumps. Once all milk has been added, heat over low heat until thick and glossy. Remove from the heat, stir in wholegrain mustard and season to taste. Add the bechamel to the pasta.
Step 5 Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a pan for a few minutes until just starting to colour. Add this mix to the pasta⁣.
Step 6 To the pasta mix, add the pineapple, spinach, tuna, lemon zest and juice, chopped parsley and dill. Add salt & pepper to taste. Stir until combined⁣.
Step 7 Spoon combined mix into a large baking dish. Top with cheddar, parmesan and goat’s cheese. Bake in oven for 20 30 mins or until cheese is golden.