Campanile Tuna Noodle Casserole

Mark Peel Says: My mother could only make ten dishes, and this was one of them. With all due respect, I think this is even better than hers. I love using the Southern Italian ring-shaped pasta called calamarata, which are like rounds of squid (calamari) and make a harmonious foil for this rich tuna and noodle casserole. The classic choice is elbow macaroni, and that will do just fine if you canâ€™t find calamarata. Whichever noodles you do use, undercook them slightly as they will soften up more when you bake the casserole. My guests are amused and often surprised when they see this on the menu. If theyâ€™ve brought their children, theyâ€™re delighted, as this is something that children love to eat, even without the traditional potato chip topping.

Good Bite Says: Think tuna noodle casserole, reinvented! If you put your nose up at this old school classic, guess again. Mark Peel breathes new life into this vintage standby with a terrific recipe from his book New Classic Family Dinners.

Campanile Tuna Noodle Casserole

For the bechamel:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup minced onion or shallot

1 small dried red chile (preferably Japanese), unbroken

1 small bay leaf

2 1/2 cups whole milk Kosher salt

Casserole:

kosher salt

1/2 pound calamarata or elbow macaroni

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3/4 pound tuna confit or two 6-ounce cans imported tuna packed in olive oil

4 ounces GruyÃ¨re cheese, grated (1 cup, tightly packed)

3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 cups (2 ounces) fresh breadcrumbs

1 1/2 ounces Parmesan, freshly grated (1/3 cup, tightly packed)

2 tablespoons olive oil from the tuna

BÃ©chamel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir together with a wooden spoon until the roux is just barely golden and has a popcorn aroma, about 5 minutes. Add the onion or shallot, chile, and bay leaf and continue to cook, stirring, until the onion softens slightly and the raw onion smell is gone. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. The popcorn smell will dissipate and the roux will thicken, and then, after 2 to 3 minutes, it will loosen up. Change from the wooden spoon to a whisk and whisk in the milk all at once. Bring slowly to a simmer, whisking. Whisk continuously until the sauce thickens. Use a heatproof rubber spatula to scrape the sauce from the bottom and edges of the pot so that it doesnâ€™t stick and burn, then transfer the sauce into another pot and set over low heat (I like to transfer the sauce in case any of it has stuck to the bottom of the pot, which can easily burn and cause a burnt aroma to permeate the sauce; but if youâ€™re careful and donâ€™t want to dirty another pan, omit this step). Reduce the heat and simmer gently, scraping the sides and bottom of the pot from time to time, for about 15 minutes, until there is no trace of a floury taste. Remove from the heat and strain immediately, while hot, through a medium strainer into a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning (you will probably want to add up to 1/4 teaspoon salt); it should be well seasoned and medium-thick. You can store the bÃ©chamel for a few days in the refrigerator. Place a piece of plastic directly over the surface to prevent a thick skin from forming. When you reheat, whisk vigorously.

Casserole: Preheat the oven to 375ÂºF. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook for a minute less than usual. It should be cooked through but a little more al dente or chewy than youâ€™d like it if you were serving it right away, about 10 minutes for calamarata. Remove a ladleful of cooking water and set aside in a bowl. Drain the pasta and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl. Crumble the tuna into the bowl with the pasta and toss together. Gently fold in the bÃ©chamel, the grated GruyÃ¨re, and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. If the sauce seems to coat the pasta too thickly, thin out with a small amount of pasta cooking water (2 tablespoons or a little more). Spoon into the baking dish. Mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, remaining parsley, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil from the tuna. Sprinkle over the top in an even layer. Cover the casserole with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, until the top has browned and the casserole is bubbling and hot all the way through. Remove from the heat, let stand until no longer bubbling, and serve.

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