Light-hearted pasta with tuna

The purists prefer flat leaf parsley for cooking — and so do I, if only the wretched stuff would grow as it used to in my backyard.

Now I make do with curly parsley (only used as garnish by the best cooks), or basil (one day I’ll try making it with citrus scented or lime basil for a change) or dill.

INGREDIENTS:

8 ozs pasta (penne or shells or farfalle)

1 oz (or less) soft margarine (or butter!)

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons flour

14 fl ozs skimmed milk

4 ozs frozen peas, thawed

1 can (6.5 ozs, 185 grams) tuna, packed in water, drained

5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

5 tablespoons finely chopped sives (including green tops)

1/2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Hot pepper sauce to taste (but not mine!)

METHOD

Cook your chosen pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente (about 12 minutes), drain, and return the cooked pasta to the pot (but not the fire).

Melt margarine (or butter) in a saucepan over a medium heat, add onion and saute until tender.

Stir in flour and cook for a few seconds. Gradually whisk in milk and bring the mixture to simmering point, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened.

Add peas, the tuna (broken in chunks), parsley, sive, cheese, hot pepper sauce (if liked) and pour over pasta and stir gently to mix.

Serve immediately.

To cook this dish in the microwave:

Cook pasta on the stove top as above.

In microwaveable bowl microwave the margarine or butter and onion at medium high for one minute or until onion is tender.

Stir in flour, gradually whisk in milk.

Microwave on High, three to five minutes or until boiling and thickened, whisking after each minute.

Add remaining ingredients and mix with pasta,

Serves four. Bon appetit!