Tuna and Pesto Pasta Bake

This recipe is one that I discovered a few years ago on taste.com.au it’s not one that we have often (we already eat so much pasta) and I am still very much a fan of my Tuna Casserole but for variety this one gets pulled out every now and then. The celery gives a great crunchy fresh texture to this pasta bake so it doesn’t get dominated by the creamy cheese sauce. As usual, there are a few vegetables in this one too so you feel a bit healthy!

Ingredients
500g dried penne pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
120g baby spinach
1/4 cup basil pesto
1 cup light evaporated milk
425g can of Tuna in Springwater
1/2 cup grated light mozzarella cheese

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Cook pasta and drain.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and celery. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until onion is soft. Add tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes. Add spinach, pesto and milk. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until spinach just wilts. Add pasta to pan with tuna. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into an 8 cup-capacity ceramic baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Stand for 5 minutes before serving.