Pasta is ALWAYS BETTER when cooked at home. Even the fancier of restaurants, won't be able to satiate your Indian palette, which is used to the fragrant masala and spices.
Here's my simple yet healthier version of pasta, still true to the authentic procedure of making Pasta, so that the Italian nonnas won't haunt me.
Disclaimer - this dish might take around 90 minutes (including preparation time)
What do you need ?
- Whole wheat durum pasta 1 cup (preferred shapes - macaroni, penne, fusilli)
- Milk 750 ml ( boiled and cooled down to room temperature )
- Maida / wheat flour - 1.5 tbsp
- Olive oil 3 tbsp
- Cheese of your choice
- Vegetables - you can choose accordingly - onions, sweet corn, baby corn, mushroom, broccoli, capsicum, green peas, carrots, black olives and french beans ( avoid tomatoes)
- Garlic - 6-8 medium sized cloves - chopped finely
- Soya sauce 1 tbsp
- Red chili powder 1 tbsp
- Freshly cracked pepper
- Chili flakes
The pasta
- Add your pasta to boiling water, salted adequately.
- You can also add 1 tbsp of oil for non-sticky pasta.
- Cooking whole wheat pasta can take more time.
- Drain your pasta and keep it aside
- Save some pasta water to add it later in the sauce.
The Bechamel sauce AKA White sauce
- Start by heating a pan on medium flame.
- Add 3 tbsp of olive oil or any neutral flavored oil. You can also use butter, if you don't count calories.
- After the oil has heated up slightly, add the maida ( I personally prefer maida, because, wheat flour sometimes makes the sauce turn into a curdy texture. But, ultimately it's your choice)
- Stir using a whisk without creating any lump. Let the maida cook for 1 min. This is called the roux (pronounced 'roo'). This is the most important step, as undercooking the roux will not make a good consistency for the sauce, and overcooking it, might burn the mixture.
- After the roux is cooked perfectly, add the room temperature milk slowly, little by little, whisking it well with the roux. Keep whisking, do not create any lumps.
- Keep it in low flame, and watch it over until it boils slowly. It would take around 15 mins for the sauce to thicken. Dip your spatula in the sauce, take it out, and run your finger through it. It must not be runny, if it is, then it needs to be on the flame for some more time.
- You can also adjust the consistency, by adding the reserved pasta water.
- Add your favorite cheese now.
- If the sauce is set, switch of the flame.
Veggie delight
- Take another pan, heat it up, add some oil.
- Add the garlic, let it turn golden brown. It smells great though !
- Add in your veggies - the more, the better
- Let them saute until they turn soft.
- Now, add 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp red chili powder, 0.5 tsp salt.
- Cook your veggies nicely.
The assembly
- Heat up the sauce - add the pasta and veggies to it.
- Taste it, and check if the seasoning is right. If it needs more salt, add it (since we didn't add any salt to the sauce)
- Add some more cheese, red chili flakes and pepper, let it sit for a few more minutes on the flame.
- Finally, turn of the flame, and enjoy your creamiest pasta - the fruits of your hard toiled labour.
Whoa! Such a tedious process. YES. But it's worth it.
You can play around with different ingredients, for example - for a more spicier version, you can add schezwan sauce to the bechamel at the end, or you can totally discard the cheese element or you can add bread crumbs and an extra layer of cheese and broil it in the oven for a crispy texture etc...
This fusion is well-suited for all ages, from kids to grandparents ( my grandma loved it !) .
It is also a good way to add more vegetables into a single dish.
It is flavorful, much healthier and a great cheat-day meal which will satisfy your soul without any guilt.