WHITE SAUCE PASTA

Savory. Rich. Creamy with a hint of Italian flavors. Unpopular opinion, but bechamel (white sauce) is my favourite addition to pasta, along with some veggies and a sprinkle of cheese.

Click on the chef's hat to skip to the recipe.

The delicious "white sauce" element of white sauce pasta (also called bechamel) is a simple sauce made by preparing a roux - a mixture of flour and fat and adding milk to the roux, which thickens and becomes a sauce. Although it is creamy and thick, there is no addition of heavy cream in white sauce.

When I first tried white sauce, I was amazed by its simplicity, but more so at the beautiful array of flavors in the sauce. The cooked flour adds a subtle nuttiness, which complements the gorgeous tones of the dried basil and Italian seasoning. The heat from the crushed red and black peppers lingering as an aftertaste is absolutely stunning.

DECADENCE IS KEY...

Make your white sauce even more indulgent by sprinkling some shredded cheese of your liking (as featured), or even some cream cheese! Since white sauce is so simple, it's basically a blank slate for you to paint your desired flavors onto.

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WHITE SAUCE PASTA: RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups elbow macaroni

• 3 cups water

• 1/2 cup butter or oil

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 cups milk

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

• Vegetables of choice (optional)

METHOD

1. Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Remember to salt your pasta water vigorously. When finished, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water.

2. Melt butter/oil on a pan at a medium flame.

3. When fully melted, add your flour and stir constantly. Cook until the flour develops a brown color and no longer smells raw.

4. Add your milk and stir continuously to incorporate the roux.

5. Add your pasta water. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the mixture thickens into a sauce.

6. Add your salt, black and red pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Mix well.

7. Add your pasta and gently fold into the sauce.

8. OPTIONAL STEP: On a separate pan, heat some oil and fry your vegetables until lightly browned. Add them to your pasta.

9. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes and oregano for garnish, and optionally some cheese.

10. Serve hot!

Are you living in a dorm with nothing to cook with but a microwave? View my Instagram post about white sauce pasta in a microwave here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEt1rmqFyUd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

#Pasta #Cheese #Italian #Microwave

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