Not Your Mom’s Tuna Tetrazzini

Pasta has to be the coolest food on earth. You can serve it hot or cold, side dish, main course, soup, salad or even dessert and…best of all..it is quick and easy. How can anyone go wrong with that?

Uh…well…there is the overcooked mush with canned Ragu….

I was digging around in the pantry the other night looking for something to serve to the starving, angry mob that invades my kitchen about 6:30 p.m. every night my family. It was one of those days where I had totally gotten lost in my thoughts and had to create magic fast. A couple of cans of albacore, some pasta, and suddenly I remembered the imported provolone cheese! Imported, aged provolone cheese. Yum.

This tetrazzini will freeze well for OAMC , it is a great make ahead and it is oh-so-rich-and-creamy.

1 lb linguine, broken in 2 – 3 inch lengths

Sauce

1 1/2 c half and half

1/2 c heavy cream

1/4 c flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 c unsalted butter

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup aged, imported provolone, grated

1/2 c mozzarella grated

a garlic cloves chopped

1 onion chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

1 red pepper, chopped

2 -3 cans of albacore, drained.

Saute pepper, mushrooms, garlic, and onion in a little olive oil until tender. Set aside.
Melt the butter over medium heat. When it starts to bubble, add flour and salt and mix to a smooth paste. Stirring constantly, slowly add half and half, cream, and cheese (except mozzarella) keeping it smooth.

Stir until thickened. Add onion mixture and albacore. Mix into cooked pasta and spoon into a buttered casserole. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

(for OAMC stop here, seal and freeze.)

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Serves 8