The Ultimate Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole is a homey thing.  When I was in college,  a group of friends would all pitch in 50 cents and someone would buy a package of noodles,  a couple cans of tuna and a can of peas.  It probably wasn't very good, definitely NOT gourmet, but we liked it anyhow.

Chez Cheeseparer, we still like it, and the basic ingredients still apply, but we've added a few touches to make the whole business super tasty.  The following recipe is for 3/4 pound of noodles.  I usually use thick or medium. 

Brown 1/3 cup diced onions and 1/3 cup red or green pepper in one T. butter or oil.  If you don't have fresh pepper, I have successfully substituted dried pepper flakes, maybe a tablespoon.  When the veggies are soft, add one  T. flour and stir well. Let cook for a minute or two.  Add  3/4 cup milk (2% is fine) and cook and stir until the mixture begins to thicken.  Add 1/4 cup cream (heavy or half-and-half or whatever).  Cook until thick and then add 2 cans packed-in-olive-oil drained tuna, broken up.  Cook and stir some more, then add 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed.  Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and a small pinch of cayenne.  Each ingredient adds a bit of resonance.  Check seasoning and if the sauce is too thick, thin with a bit of milk or cream.

Cook noodles according to package directions (make sure to add salt) until done, but they will cook some more, so they should not be overdone. Drain. 

Put drained noodles into a greased 2  qt. casserole, and stir in the tuna sauce, mixing well.  Sprinkle crushed potato chips on top the casserole, covering thoroughly.  This really adds to the whole.  If you are (horrors!) out of chips, use 3/4 cup buttered panko crumbs.  You can also mix chips and crumbs if you don't have quite enough of each.

Put this into a 350 degree oven  for about half an hour.  Serve with a green salad and a green veg.  We like both broccoli and green beans with this.  Serves 4-6 depending on appetites.  Two people can enjoy a second dinner and maybe even lunch.  It just gets better every day. 

I always buy the Italian tuna packed in in olive oil, but the cheap kind probably works as well.  The cans have shrunk and now only have 5 ounces instead of 6.  Boo!  If you are feeling extrvagant, you could use 3 cans.  We make do with two.

This recipe calls for a basic white sauce which is butter and flour in equal quantities and milk.  You should know how to make this and any cookbook can offer more details.  Do not use canned soup--it won't be anywhere near as good.   Avoid processed foods whenever possible.  This is not to suggest you catch your own tuna and make your own noodles, although the result would certainly be very toothsome. 

 Tonight I am making a peasant fave, Puerto Rican rice and beans.  Yum!