Named after the creamy, cheesy sauce, Tuna Mornay is one of Australia’s favourite dishes. And no wonder, it combines a rich mornay with a meaty tuna taste and satisfying, comforting pasta. This versatile bake can be eaten as a main course or as a side.

We chose freshly grated aged cheddar to ramp up the flavour and selected a tuna that was canned in water, as opposed to oil, so that the bake wouldn’t get too greasy.

The sauteed onions and garlic add complexity to the dish. We added onion and garlic powder and nutmeg to add to the flavour. You can also add mustard powder if you want to ramp it up even more.

We added corn to the bake as is traditional, though broccoli is another popular choice. We chose penne pasta as we like its texture, but you could substitute this for others such as fusilli or shells.

As the video shows, most of the work for this dish is done in making the sauce and continuing to stir as it gradually reduces is key. You can use a whisk or a spoon or spatula to make the sauce. We like to alternate between a whisk and a spatula as needed, relying on the whisk to make sure the sauce doesn’t get clumpy.

INGREDIENTS

For the topping

2 tbsps melted butter

1/2 cup panko or other breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan

For the bake

350 g, or 12 oz, of penne or similar pasta

425 g, or 15 oz, canned tuna

1 400g, 14 oz, can of corn

3 tbsps of butter

1 yellow onion

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup plain flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup grated sharp cheddar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 175C, or 350F.
2. Prepare the topping by mixing the panko and grated parmesan with the melted butter. Set aside.
3. Prepare the pasta by cooking it until it is almost ready, but still slightly firm. It will cook further in the oven with the sauce. Set aside.
4. Cut the onion into small pieces and mince the garlic. In a large pot melt the butter, and then add the onion and garlic until they are softened. Add the flour and mix together so that it absorbs all the butter.
5. Add in a little bit of the milk and mix it through the pan, then add the rest. Add the spices and continue stirring. Then gradually add the chicken stock, stirring as it reduces.
6. Before it gets too thick, add the lemon juice, salt & pepper and the grated cheddar. Mix through as the cheese melts into the sauce. Keep stirring and reducing the sauce until it has thickened.
7. In a large bowl carefully mix together the pasta, the canned tuna, the corn and the white sauce. Then add to a baking dish. Top with panko, parmesan mixture and cook until the top is golden, around 40 – 50 minutes.
8. Let it rest for around 10 minutes then serve and enjoy!