Penne in Bechamel Sauce

Who here is a fan of Italian cuisine ?

My favs are Italian and Thai... I know !! - very different from each other, but both of them are soul food or comfort food to me.

I love cooking Italian too... havent tried my hands at Thai yet - sounds so detail-oriented. Italian in comparison is super easy and less time consuming too.

So, let me present to you Pasta Bechamel  - what is commonly known in India as White Sauce Pasta... (Remember, this is my version of the basic bechamel sauce. So please any suggestions are welcome to improve it and make it more authentic)

INGREDIENTS

(serves 4)

For Bechamel Sauce:

All-purpose flour - 4 tbsp

Milk - 1 ltr

Oregano - 1 tsp

Chilli Flakes - 1 tbsp

Garlic (chopped) - 2 tbsp

Butter / Olive oil - 5 tbsp

Cheddar cheese (shredded) - 100 gms

Mozzarella cheese (shredded) - 100 gms

Salt as per taste

Other fresh / dried italian herbs (optional - as per your likes)

For Pasta:

For my pasta, I cooked some penne, but you can use any kind of pasta (fusilli, spaghetti, macaroni, farfalle). Just the cooking times of each of these pastas will be different. Just follow the instructions on the packet. In addition to those instructions, I add 2 tsp of olive oil into the water when boiling the pasta, that helps the pasta to not stick to each other. I also add some salt.

Method:

Cook the pasta al-dente, that is only until they are 80% cooked. When you break the cooked pasta, the innermost part should not yet be cooked. Drain the pasta and keep it aside. Don't waste the water. I generally use it in the sauce, if it gets too thick.

1. Take a large saucepan (which can hold both pasta and sauce). Add 1 tbsp olive oil / butter to it.
2. When the oil / butter is hot, add the chopped garlic. Let it roast for a while. Remove it and keep it aside.
3. To the same pan, add the rest of the oil / butter. And once its hot, add the flour and stir well.
4. Roast it until the raw smell goes away.
5. Add the milk - little by little and keep stirring. Dont add all the milk at once, 'coz that can cause lumps.
6. When all the milk has been added, allow it to boil. 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Add the roasted garlic, chilli flakes, the fresh / dried herbs and allow it to boil well to infuse the flavors into the sauce. Also add salt.
8. If you find the sauce too thick, add the pasta stock that you have kept aside.
9. When the sauce starts boiling, add the shredded cheese and boil for another 30 secs.
10. Add in the cooked and drained pasta, and give it a stir. Cover and switch off the flame.

Pasta Bechamel is ready !!!

Fusilli in Roast Pepper and Garlic Sauce

Truly a bowl of delicious health !!

I am not really a big fan of bell peppers but I just could not resist trying out roast pepper sauce in my pasta this time. I loved the result. Without more blabbering I'll just get on to the recipe.

I need to warn you that this is not the authentic roast pepper sauce. Its just my take on the recipe.


The recipe serves 2 people

INGREDIENTS

Fusilli pasta - 4 cups
Bell Peppers - 2 (any color) (diced)
Onion - 2 large (half diced and half julienned)
Tomato - 2 large (half diced and half finely chopped)
Garlic - 10 - 15 cloves (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - few sprigs (finely chopped)
Potato - 1 large (optional - You can add any veggies of your choice or skip) (chopped)
Chilli Flakes - 1 tbsp (use as per taste)
Oregano - 1 tbsp
Mozzarella or parmesan cheese (grated)
Salt to taste
Olive oil to cook (You can use any oil of your choice though)
Water to boil

METHOD

Boil pasta as per instructions on the packet. Strain the pasta and keep aside.
Tip: I add a tbsp of salt and a tbsp of oil whenever I boil pasta.
Tip: You can run the strained pasta under cold water to stop further cooking. This will also stop the pasta from sticking to each other.

For the sauce.

1. Take a pan. Add a tbsp of olive oil. Add the finely chopped garlic and the diced peppers. Roast them for a few minutes.
2. Add the onions and roast until color changes.
3. Finally add the tomatoes and roast until all veggies are well roasted. Keep aside to cool. Grind into a slightly coarse paste. Add a little water to the pan and scrape all the caramelised stuff from the pan and use that for grinding. You can grind into a fine paste also.

Tip: You can make the sauce in larger quantities and store in the fridge or freezer. Lasts longer in the freezer.

Tip: I have read on the internet that sauce can be stored in the ice cube tray so that its easier to thaw and use later. Measurement would be easier.

For the pasta.

1. Use the same pan. Add a tbsp of olive oil. Add the julienned onions and fry until they lose color.
2. Add the veggies and cook until they soften a bit. Let them stay a bit crisp.
   Tip: Add the slow cooking veggies first and add the quick cooking veggies last.
3. Add the tomatoes at the end and add salt for taste.
   Tip: Always try to add salt with the tomatoes. It aids tomatoes to cook faster and softens them quicker.
4. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the sauce and cook for 8 - 10 mins. Add some more salt as required. Add a little water if you feel that the sauce is too thick.
5. Add the strained pasta and mix well.
6. Sprinkle the oregano and chilli flakes and the finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix lightly.

No cheese topping on this bowl

Serve with grated cheese on top. ENJOY !!

I am BACKKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!

Hey All !!

I am back to blogging now.... I might as well, because I had to postpone my graduation by another semester. So y deprive myself of something that I love to do.... no no not blogging... I am talking about showing off my cooking skills :)

Just wanted to post some recent pics of my cooking here. Recently captioned the photos :) !!!

Mexican-Indian Medley (Onion Pakodas and Guacamole - I did not make the veggie crispy chips)

Breakfast Strata (egg-based)

Prepping for White pasta sauce

White pasta sauce cooking

Mixing cooked pasta and the creamy pasta sauce

Creamy white pasta

Pasta and garlic bread

Garlic butter used for the garlic bread (above and below)

Garlic bread (fresh out of the oven)

Not-from-scratch pasta (used canned pasta sauce)

From-scratch Lasagna (sauces were from scratch)

Cooked lasagna

Lasagna topped with extra sauce

Masala Omlet !!

Omlet with toast !!

Prepping pizza base (readymade dough)

Added toppings to pizza base

Topped with cheeses

Pizza fresh out of the oven

Vegetable sevai upma

Corn and Onion Fritters (pakodas)

Prepping breaded eggplant

Baked (healthy) breaded eggplant

Masala and plain dosas with garlic chutney and sambar

Indianized hashbrowns

Seriously do not remember the name of this sweet anymore :P

Sabudana khichdi :)

Aloo wada with spicy garlic sauce

Maddur Vada

I hope to get free enough to post the recipes soon !!

Until then...

Ciao... So