Tuna Casserole

The cooking gods are fickle. Last week I shopped and planned for a mediocre oyster stew; tonight I threw together everything I had on hand for a casserole, and it was sublime. Husband agreed, this one was much more than the sum of its parts, which are as follows:

1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta (I don't know the name of the shape; imagine slender penne twisted into cork screws) boiled and drained
1 C ricotta cheese, 1 egg, zest of 1 lemon, 1 T kosher salt, all mixed up
2 heads of chopped mei quing cabbage, sauteed with scallions
1 can tuna, drained (packed in oil. It's almost impossible to find tuna in oil these days, but I think it's much better.)
Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) for the top.

I mixed everything up, sprinkled the panko, and popped it in the oven until it was browned. Oh my goodness, you won't believe how good it was.

Life is fine when "what I have on hand" includes snapping fresh mei quing.