She may have flown the nest, but it’s hard to beat Charlotte’s heart-warming tuna pasta bake at this time of year. It’s the perfect dish for those back to school evenings, as the nights start to draw in and the leaves are on the turn.

Oh and did we mention it’s dead easy? You can fill your belly whilst hunting down that new winter coat online (come on, you know you’ve already started looking…)

Charlotte’s heart-warming tuna pasta bake

Ingredients

• Two pans
• Some pasta - fusilli (pasta swirlies if you may)
• A tub of passata
• 1 tin of tuna
• A pinch of fresh basil,
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• Some cheddar - mild or mature (whichever takes your fancy!).

Method

1. Boil your pasta with boiling water and a pinch of salt in one of the pans until soft.
2. In pan number two, add the passata, the full tin of tuna, basil, salt & pepper together and cook on a low to medium simmer until it begins to bubble.
3. Preheat the grill pan at a medium-high heat.
4. Drain the pasta of all it’s water once cooked.
5. Once the sauce is hot all the way through, add the sauce mixture to the pan containing the cooked pasta.
6. Mix together until all pasta is covered.
7. Add the mixture to a large baking tray.
8. Grate the cheddar cheese all over the top of the pasta mix and put under the grill. Leave until the cheese begins to sizzle…

Top tip: Why not crunch some crisps on top before you add the cheese!