Bacon and Gnocchi Bake

Serves 2

Oven: 180C fan

50g grated Cheddar

50 g fresh Breadcrumbs

1 tspn mixed herbs

250 g Gnocchil

400g tin Tomatoes

4 rashers streaky bacon, cut into small pieces

1 tspn Paprika

1 tbspn garlic infused oil

1 tspn Sugar

big handful of baby spinach

salt to taste

small pot of yogurt

half ball of mozarella, sliced

Mix cheese, breadcrumbs herbs together for topping, put to one side.

In a large frying pan fry bacon in oil until going crisp.  Add gnocchi for about 30 seconds.  Add all other ingredients except mozarella and topping, stir well.  

Put in casserole, top with mozarella and breadcrumb/cheese/herb topping.

Bake 15 - 20 mins for crispy top.

Tips: 

 - use wide casserole to get the most out of the topping

Tweaks:  

- use English or Italian mixed herbs

- use smoked paprika if liked

- use smoked bacon if liked

- can fry in oil or butter or a half and half mix and add garlic or garlic salt if you don't have garlic infused oil

- can omit yogurt if you don't want it creamy

- I use mozarella pearls rather than slice a ball of mozarella

Original:

- came from Becky Excel website or book?

Tuna Pasta Bake

 

doesn't look very appetising, but it is very good

Serves 6

Oven 180C/160C fan/4

600 g Rigatoni

50 g Butter

50 g Flour

600 ml Milk

250 g strong cheese, grated

2 x 160 g tins Tuna, drained

330 g Sweetcorn, drained

handful of chopped parsley

Cook pasta two minutes under finish time and drain.

Meanwhile make sauce with roux and milk and add cheese, keeping some back for the top.

Break tuna into good size pieces and mix with pasta, parsley, sauce and sweetcorn

Put in baking dish, top with grated cheese

Bake 20 - 30 minutes

Tweaks

• This recipe assumes you will make a roux with the flour and butter.  I don't use those.  Just mix generous tablespoon cornflour in some of the milk, bring milk to near boiling and stir in cornflour thickener and keep stirring, then stir blob of butter and the cheese.  I also season with black pepper.
• I would use one tin of tuna for two people so for six would need three tins.
• Regard this recipe as a starting point and pretty much add in anything you like such as softened onions.  I also use peas or broccoli instead of sweetcorn.  On this one I forgot any of them.  Oops
• You can use any pasta shape
• We like crunchy top so I am generous with cheese and sometimes add breadcrumbs with it.