Twelve (or more) ways to tuna casserole

Tuna casserole is, likely, the ultimate in American food. It's not hamburgers, no, it's not meatloaf, and it's definitely not apple pie. The French invented apple pie, after all, and the Viennese probably developed the precursor to meatloaf. They eat hamburgers everywhere.

But tuna, mixed with noodles, cheese and one of a variety of canned or frozen vegetables: that's got to be America's very own. Tuna casserole is to America what cassoulet is to the French: every homey cook has her own recipe, one of endless variations on a common theme (a blueprint, if you will).

Every tuna casserole has one thing in common: tuna. Let's say, for the sake of argument, two cans of the stuff - that's 12 ounces, or 1 1/2 cups, or about 350g. And let's say every casserole is cooked in a three-quart casserole dish, in a 400F oven for 25 minutes. For most of these recipes, you can basically follow my aforementioned tuna casserole blueprint; I'll point out differences in procedure along the way.

1. Ultra-retro. Tuna, 8 ounces curly noodles, 1 cup frozen green peas, basic cheese sauce made with cheddar, top with Ritz-type crackers crushed and mixed with 2 tbsp melted butter.

2. Sarah's blueprint casserole. Tuna, 8 ounces orzo pasta, 1 cup frozen spinach, basic cheese sauce made with mozzarella, top with potato chips crushed and mixed with 2 tbsp melted butter.

3. Tuna cheese bake from The Casserole Cookbook. Tuna, 4 cups cooked rice, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 cup frozen peas, basic cheese sauce made with sharp cheddar, top with pie crust or puffed pastry.

4. California style. Tuna, 8 ounces rotini pasta, 1 cup chopped black olives, 1 cup frozen asparagus spears, basic white sauce made without cheese, toss in 1/2 cup feta cheese, top with bread crumbs mixed with 2 tbsp melted butter.

5. Little Italy. Tuna, 8 ounces spaghetti, 1/2 cup oil-cured olives, basic cheese sauce made with parmesan or asiago, 1 cup diced tomatoes, top with more parmesan cheese.

6. Tuna primavera. Tuna, 8 ounces penne, 1 cup blanched fresh green beans, 1 cup blanched fresh chopped asparagus, basic cheese sauce made with mozzarella, 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes, top with bread crumbs mixed with 2 tbsp melted butter.

7. Thank you for Tuna. Tuna, 4 cups cooked rice, 1 cup frozen green beans, 1/4 cup cranberry sauce, 2 cups chicken or turkey gravy, top with fried onions or cubes of bread.

8. Chinatown. Tuna, 4 cups cooked rice, 1 cup frozen green beans, 1 cup frozen corn, two tablespoons soy sauce mixed with 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and 1 tablespoon cornstarch, top with crispy Asian noodles.

9. Pad Tuna. Tuna, 8 ounces wide noodles, 1 cup frozen green peas, 1 cup frozen corn, bamboo shoots, 1/2 cup spicy Ponzu sauce, top with crushed peanuts.

10. Tuna Nicoise Casserole. Tuna, 8 ounces penne, 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers, 1/2 cup chopped black olives, 1 cup frozen green beans, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, top with bread crumbs mixed with melted butter.

11. Lolita Davis' family recipe. Tuna, eight ounces noodles or rice, one condensed soup can each, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, one can of peas and carrots, one small can of evaporated milk, add three soup cans of water, six oz of grated sharp cheese, baked for 25-30 minutes at 350F.

12. What I'm eating tonight: The South Will Rise Again and Make Tuna Casserole. Tuna, eight ounces linguine, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 can sliced black olives, 1 jar red pimientos, basic cheese sauce made with yellow cheese, lots of paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 2 ounces cream cheese, top with white bread, crumbled. No, really, this was amazing.