Spaghetti tuna casserole with apple

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300g spaghetti
• 1 onion(s)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 can of tuna
• 1 pack of tomatoes, pureed
• 1 cup of crème fraîche or sour cream
• some Parmesan for the sauce
• 150 g cheese for topping, more if desired
• 1 apple
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• Cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper
• some oil
• possibly basil, fresh

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

a warm dish for cozy winter evenings

Cook the spaghetti in salted water until almost cooked and drain. Meanwhile, chop the onion into large pieces and fry in a little oil. When the onions are translucent, add the drained tuna and the crushed garlic and sauté briefly. Deglaze with the passata. How much tomato sauce you want is a matter of taste. I usually use a little more than half a package. Add a pinch of sugar to the simmering sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, if desired. I now grate some fresh Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Simmer the finished sauce over low heat. Meanwhile, peel an apple, quarter it, and cut it into small pieces. Toss the spaghetti with the sauce, add the apple pieces, and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread a cup of crème fraîche on top. Then add the cheese for topping. The casserole dish is then placed in the preheated oven until the cheese turns a golden brown. Since all the ingredients, except for the apples and cheese, are already cooked, I usually only need a few minutes at high heat and top heat. After removing the casserole from the oven, let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes. To serve, remove rectangular pieces and garnish with plenty of fresh basil. Tips and hints: When choosing cheese, a spicy cheese is generally better; mozzarella seems less suitable to me. I use regular grated casserole cheese and mix in some fresh Parmesan. For those who like it spicy: Simply add a few small chilies to the pan with the onions. I like to use fresh chilies or pickled ones from a jar. This recipe works just as well with canned passata in a tetra pack or with fresh tomato sauce. For the right sweetness: Instead of sugar, you can also use apple juice to sweeten the tomato sauce. However, you’ll need to simmer the sauce a little longer to prevent it from becoming too watery. If you have juice on hand, I recommend a combination of both; this will make the sauce particularly fruity.