Today was officially one of my least favorite days. I could barely get on with whatever happened the whole day. However, I have this theory, see. I think that food (my daughter’s smile, too) never fails to brighten any bad mood that I may be in.

I guess that holds true for all people. Everyone has some kind of food they like to eat when they are extremely happy or really strung out, for that matter. Personally, my heart (or day) always feels better when I have had my trusty ‘Penne Alfredo’ to chase away the blues.

Pasta in a creamy white sauce with lots and LOTS of cheese is all I need to get my mood right when I’m low or get my mood going when I’m happy. It makes me feel so much better, just after the first bite.

This is another one of those passed-down-from-mum recipes and tastes amazing every time I make it. It’s also my Amelia’s favorite dish, and she has a special little dance for when I make pasta. We call it ‘the Pasta Dance’. 🙂

Ingredients:

200 gms Pasta

4-5 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1/2 Onion finely chopped

2-3 Garlic cloves finely chopped

3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour

1 cube Chicken Stock

400 ml Milk

1/2 cup Grated cheese/ Cheese Spread

Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Oregano and Red chili flakes (optional)

Note: 

*You can use any kind of pasta you want. I like using Penne or Elbow-Shaped pasta.

*After adding flour to butter, stir well, and let it cool, before u add the stock to avoid lumps.

*Stir regularly to avoid lumps.

*Adjust milk according to how thick u want the sauce to be. The sauce will thicken as u keep stirring.

*If you are using the cube, dissolve it in hot water and add to the sauce.

*You can boil chicken with salt and pepper and use the stock, add shredded chicken pieces to the sauce.

*Saute mushrooms and spinach in butter and toss into the sauce for extra flavor and nutrition.

*Sauce-to-Pasta ratio should always be right. Too much pasta in the sauce will make it lose the creaminess and you will be left with dry pasta.

Method: 

Pasta: 

Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with water. This will ensure that the water doesn’t spill when it’s boiling. Don’t under-fill the pot; this will make the pasta sticky. There should be a generous water-to-pasta ratio. Boil water with salt and a little oil to avoid sticking.

Wait for the water to boil and then toss in pasta and stir well to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Let it cook till al Dente (to the tooth in Italian) and strain off the water once cooked. You want pasta that’s springy and chewy (but not like a stick of hardened gum). It’s better to err on the side of al dente, as the overcooked pasta will break down and become carby mush.

Sauce: 

In a non-stick pan, heat butter.Add finely chopped onions and garlic, sauté till pungent smell goes away, and onion turns pinkish in color.

Next, add flour and stir well, till combined with butter. Take off heat and let the above mixture cool.

Once cooled, add stock and stir till flour mixture dissolves into the stock and there are no lumps.

Return to low flame heat, and add milk (little at a time) and cheese, stirring occasionally.

Season with Salt, Pepper, and Oregano.

Pour sauce over pasta and serve with slices of garlic bread.

If you are a cheese lover, you can always add extra cheese on top, and let it melt in a microwave before serving.

Ingredients:

200 gms Pasta

4-5 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1/2 Onion finely chopped

2-3 Garlic cloves finely chopped

3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour

1 cube Chicken Stock

400 ml Milk

1/2 cup Grated cheese/ Cheese Spread

Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Oregano and Red chili flakes (optional)

Method: 

Pasta: 

Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with water. This will ensure that the water doesn’t spill when it’s boiling. Don’t under-fill the pot; this will make the pasta sticky. There should be a generous water-to-pasta ratio. Boil water with salt and a little oil to avoid sticking.

Wait for the water to boil and then toss in pasta and stir well to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Let it cook till al Dente (to the tooth in Italian) and strain off the water once cooked. You want pasta that’s springy and chewy (but not like a stick of hardened gum). It’s better to err on the side of al dente, as the overcooked pasta will break down and become carby mush.

Sauce: 

1.In a non-stick pan, heat butter. Add finely chopped onions and garlic, sauté till pungent smell goes away, and onion turns pinkish in color. 2

2. Next, add flour and stir well, till combined with butter.

3. Take off heat and let the above mixture cool. Once cooled, add stock and stir till flour mixture dissolves into the stock and there are no lumps.

4. Return to low flame heat, and add milk (little at a time) and cheese, stirring occasionally.

5. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano.

6. Pour sauce over pasta and serve with slices of garlic bread.