Tuna Noodle Casserole Mediterranean style

Ingredients:

1-  pd. wide egg noodles
fresh ground pepper
1 - 7oz. jar roasted red peppers drained and diced
3 ½ - cups milk                                                                                                                                                         1/2  - cup  flour
½ - cup shredded pecorino Romano cheese
2 - pouches white albacore tuna
1- 14oz. can artichokes in olive oil, drained and diced
5 -  scallions, diced
½ - cup grated parmesan
1- tbls. Greek oregano
olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.
In a large pot cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente, drain, and return to pot.
Meanwhile, in a 5-quart heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat and add the diced peppers. Cook 4-6 min. and add the flour stirring 1 min. gradually add the milk stirring until smooth, continue cooking and stirring until mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the pecorino Romano cheese.
  Add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions and Greek oregano and  pepper to taste and toss.  Pour the mixture in the  baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 20 min. or until bubbly and lightly golden on top.

Johnny Marzetti

This is my version of a childhood  favorite in Ohio. Its origins go back to the Marzetti restaurant in Columbus Ohio. By the 1920`s it became popular . I  remember it being served in the elementary  schools in the 60`s  then it kind of just went away.

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion minced
2 lb. Ground turkey
1 lb. box elbow macaroni   cooked and drained
3 ½ cups tomato sauce
1 ½  lb.  shredded cheddar cheese   
2 tbsp. minced garlic
¼   cup finely chopped   red  bell pepper
1 tbsp. dried basil      


In a skillet saute onion  and peppers  about 3 min. then add the garlic and the turkey and cook, breaking up the clumps until turkey is done. Remove from heat and add basil and tomato sauce and half of the cheese. Transfer to a   greased 9 x 13 baking dish and add the cooked and drained macaroni and stir gently. Put the remaining cheese on top .  Bale at 350 degrees for about 30 min. or until bubbly.