Mediterranean Tuna Pasta

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 4 red onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 200ml vegetable stock (2 vegetable stock cubes dissolved in 250ml boiling water)
• 2 courgettes
• 2 red peppers
• 2 x 120g tins tuna (in water or brine), drained
• 1 x 250g carton passata
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s Relish
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 300g dried pasta
• 80g reduced-fat Cheddar
• 65g reduced-fat feta cheese
• Dried paprika flakes and fresh basil, to serve (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/gas mark 6)
Spray a large saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray, add the onions, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes over medium heat until softened
Add the stock and simmer for another 5 minutes
Quarter and slice the courgettes, deseed and slice the red peppers. Add the courgettes, peppers, drained tuna, passata, and tinned tomatoes, to the saucepan
Add balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well, cover, and simmer while you cook the pasta (around 6 minutes)
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for half the packet cooking time. (For example, if cooking time is 12 minutes, cook for 6.)
Once the pasta is part cooked, drain and add to a roasting dish. Pour over the contents of the saucepan and mix
Grate the Cheddar and crumble the feta. Sprinkle these over the pasta bake. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes
Remove from the oven, sprinkle fresh basil and paprika flakes (if using), and serve