Sunday 10 March 2013

Tuna/Broccoli Napolitana

Pasta dishes are not only easy to make but are also filling and well loved by everyone in the family. On days when I am really rushing, but, would prefer to make our own dinner rather than order take away I always make pasta. Additionally, pasta dishes offer an extra flexibility to adapt it to satisfy both vegetarians, like me, and meat eaters, like Naz & Anjalie,  by throwing in some chicken/tuna. One of the family favorites for dinner is Napolitana with Tuna for Naz & Anjalie and with broccoli for me. It is quite quick and easy to put together from scratch and you can also make this with chicken or prawns if you prefer.

You will need:
25 grams of butter/olive oil
2 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp garlic paste/3 cloves of garlic crushed
450 ml milk/cream
salt and black pepper to taste
50 g of cheese of your choice (optional: I use grated Parmesan)
2 tsp Italian seasoning/oregano (dried)
1 tin of canned tuna (185 grams) drained and fluffed with a fork or 250 grams of broccoli chopped to bite size pieces and steamed with salt until cooked thoroughly but still crunchy
300 grams of pasta cooked (any shape you prefer) according to the packet instructions.
1 tsp fresh parsley chopped for garnish



Melt butter/heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and cook until soft. Add flour and cook for an another minute. Slowly add milk/cream and whisk until well mixed without lumps. Add tomato puree, salt, black pepper and seasonings. Cook until the sauce thickens to coat the back of the spoon. Turn off the stove and add the cheese and mix until it melts. If using tuna, add tuna now and pop it back on the stove and cook for another minute or 2 stirring well until the tuna is heated well. If using broccoli, simply add to the sauce and mix well. Add pasta to the mixture and mix well until the pasta is well coated. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve warm with a salad.

Note: you can use sweet bell peppers, cauliflower, mushroom or any combo of favorite vegetables to make this dish.
If using pressure cooker to cook broccoli, do not use the cooker weight and, steam for just under 5 mins.

Sending to Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids – Italian Dishes and Nithu’s page hosted by Sowmya.



1 comment:

  1. i love brocolli in pasta... So rich in nutrition and taste!!! Thanks for sending this yummy recipe to my event.. Looking for more yummy recipes...

    Sowmya
    Ongoing Event - HITS - Diabetic Friendly
    Ongoing Event + Giveaway - Italian Dishes

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