"The word 'casserole' has two meanings: a recipe for a combination of foods cooked together in a slow over and the dish/pot used for cooking it. Casserole, as a cooking method, seems to have derived from the ancient practice of slowly stewing meat in earthenware containers. Medieval pies are also related, in that pastry was used as a receptacle for slowly cooking sweet and savory fillings. Early 18th century casserole recipes [the word entered the English language in 1708] typically employed rice which was pounded and pressed (similar to the pastry used for pies) to encase fillings. Like their Medieval ancestors, they were both savory and sweet. The casseroles we know today are a relatively modern invention."
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| Tuna casserole. There, now I can say I made it. |
The traditional tuna casserole calls for egg noodles, of which I had none on hand. Brown rice fusilli was used instead since this type of noodle can hold up to both boiling and baking in the same recipe. The thought of adding a can of creamed mushroom soup to a casserole is appalling to me. I don't think I've had canned mushroom soup since I was a child and I'm more inclined to make it from scratch if I had to. There are three parts to this recipe: the sauce, the noodles, and the baking. Start by cooking the noodles first since they take the longest to prepare.
You could use any type of mushroom in a casserole. I had dried oyster mushrooms that had been in my pantry for almost a year so I used those. Rehydrated in water and the water (without the mushrooms) added to the pot of water to cook the noodles. The same goes for the shredded cheese. I used mozzarella, but you can easily use cheddar, jack, or colby.
The addition of olive oil to the boiling noodles is an optional step. I had about that much leftover from an appetizer I did earlier in the day. The tuna can is from Trader Joe's and it's tongol in water with no salt added. I didn't think about salt until I tasted the sauce. Hardly any of the ingredients used actually have salt in it, except for the trace amount in the cheese. I sprinklled some sea salt on top of the casserole before adding the last of the cheese.
Ingredients
2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
One 6.5 oz can of tuna, drained
One red bell pepper, diced
1 c. oyster mushrooms, chopped
1-2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, separated
sea salt, to taste
1 c. whole organic milk
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 c. dried fusilli
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pot of water
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
1. In a pot, add enough water to dried fusilli and boil until noodles are tender. Add olive oil. About 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a 8" skillet, on medium heat, melt butter and fry bellpepper and oyster mushrooms until soft. Add flour and stir until combined. Add milk and stir (or whisk) until the sauce thickens. Turn off heat and stir in one cup of shredded cheese. Set aside.
3. In an 8" x 8" baking dish, add cooked fusilli and tuna. Break up the larger chunks of tuna into smaller pieces, if necessary. Add the sauce on top of it and stir until the sauce is evenly distributed.
4. Sprinkle sea salt on top of casserole then add the remaining cheese (up to one cup) on top of the casserole. While it melts and browns, it also makes a tasty crust.
5. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.
Makes 2-3 servings.
