Name: Tuna mornay
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 5–6
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 350 g penne or other short pasta; 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter; 3 garlic cloves, finely minced; 50 g (4 tbsp) plain flour; 1 litre (4 cups) milk; 2 tsp Vegeta or chicken/veg stock powder; 50 g (½ cup) finely shredded parmesan (sauce); ½ tsp mustard powder; ½ tsp onion powder; ½ tsp garlic powder; 425 g canned tuna in oil, drained; 400 g canned corn, drained; 25 g unsalted butter, melted (topping); 60 g (½ cup) panko breadcrumbs; 25 g (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan (topping); ¼ tsp salt (topping); Chives or parsley, to garnish (optional)

Method

Heat oven to 180°C. Mix topping: melted butter, panko, parmesan and salt.
Cook pasta 1 minute less than the packet. Drain, cool slightly, return to the pot.
Melt butter over medium. Cook garlic 30 seconds. Stir in flour. Whisk in about one-third of the milk until smooth, then the rest.
Whisk in Vegeta, mustard, onion and garlic powder. Cook 4–5 minutes, whisking, until the sauce coats a spoon. Take off the heat; stir in the 50 g parmesan.
Flake tuna into large chunks over the pasta (do not mash). Add corn and sauce; fold gently. Tip into a baking dish, scatter topping.
Bake 25 minutes until golden and bubbling at the edges. Garnish and serve.

Tip: Vegeta (or stock powder) is the flavour trick in the white sauce. Tuna in oil tastes better. Flake into chunks so it does not turn to mush. Frozen peas can stand in for corn.