Pasta in White Sauce

I know that’s a super vague title. I first ate pasta as a teenager at a fancy restaurant in India. Back then, there wasn’t much distinction amongst pasta dishes, except to call them white, red and pink. White sauce was always passed off as Alfredo. Then I moved to the US, met new people, and ate new food. I quickly realized what I always thought was Alfredo was actually a Mornay. 🥲

Now, I add my pasta to a Bechamel sauce. I love the creaminess and the taste of it, and this is what I grew up eating (without the cheese). It is so fascinating how dishes get taken from around the world, and modified to suit the local palate. I’ve seen this happen to virtually every cuisine in India. Here in the US, spices in dishes are toned down to match the palate here. I’ve been asked many times what I think of restaurants adapting Indian food to match what people will eat. I always give the same answer. It doesn’t matter what you cook, it should taste good… 😊 Of course, I wouldn’t call it authentic, but that doesn’t make the dish any less Indian.

So here’s my recipe for a Bechamel, with a bunch of veggies and pasta in it!

Add that cheese on top!!! At least this way, I feel less guilty and still eat cheese… 😅

Servings: 2, Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Garlic cloves 2-4
Yellow onion 1/2
Mushrooms 5-6
Cabbage 1/4 head
Dry pasta 4 oz
Oil 2 tbsp
Butter 2 tbsp
All purpose flour 3 tbsp
Milk ( I used oat milk) 2 cups
Salt 1 tsp
Ground black pepper 1 tsp
Italian seasoning 2 tsp

Instructions

Finely chop the garlic cloves. Dice the onion, and slice the mushrooms and cabbage!
In the meantime, boil water in a kettle. Then add the water to a pan and salt it generously. Cook the pasta till it’s done to your liking, then drain. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Return the pan to the stove and heat 1 tbsp oil in it. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté till fragrant, then add the mushrooms and cabbage. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
Remove the veggies to a plate, then add the remaining oil and butter to the same pan.
Add the flour, then cook till the flour is turns light brown. Slowly add in the milk, and stir vigorously. Make sure there’s no lumps!
Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to the sauce. Mix well.
Add the veggies and cooked pasta in the sauce and combine well. At this point, taste and add more salt if needed.
Serve up a portion, sprinkle some cheese if you want. Enjoy!

Tips

I always use shell pasta, because it’s shape is perfect for the sauce to cling. This just makes the pasta extra special!
I added mushrooms, cabbage and onion here. However, you can use any vegetable that needs to be finished. Make sure you do not overcook the veggies. Cooking time will also depend on the size you cut your veggies. Eg: If you’re using small diced zucchini, only cook it for about 2 minutes. It can get soggy super fast!!
You can also add a bit of grated nutmeg and some paprika to the sauce. This will add depth of flavor.
Make sure you reserve a bit of the pasta water. This is the best way to make the sauce thinner.

While I was writing this, I was watching Friends (again). It was that one episode where Ben likes a Barbie. Ross’s reaction to this has not aged well. I can’t believe I was okay with this when I was younger. 😞

There was a lot of reminiscing and just random stuff in this post, but make this pasta!! If you don’t want pasta, just make the sauce. It’s great for dipping, salad dressing etc.. As always, let me know how it goes!!

Spaghetti and Chicken Meatballs

The cheese didn’t melt all the way.. I took too long to add it. 😅

I’ve been posting mostly vegan recipes, or at least vegetarian ones. However, ground chicken was on sale this time and I couldn’t resist. Meatballs are my go to when I have ground meat of any kind. This time was no different. Meatballs are so versatile and they can be made ahead and frozen. They’re the ideal meal prep food.

I didn’t start making meatballs till I moved to the US. My mom doesn’t eat meat, and she doesn’t like bringing it into the house. So we only ever ate chicken outside. Once I had my own kitchen, I tried making everything. It was a surprise that I never messed up meatballs. That’s how easy this recipe is.🤣

Servings: 4, Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the meatballs

Ground chicken 1 lb
Onion 1/2 medium
Parsley 1/2 bunch
Italian seasoning 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Ground black pepper 1 tsp
Large egg 1
Breadcrumbs 1/3 cup
Canola oil 1 tbsp

For the spaghetti and sauce

Tomato sauce 1 29 oz can
White sugar 3 tbsp
Salt as needed
Ground black pepper 1 tsp
Basil leaves 4-5 (optional)
Garlic 5 cloves
Onion 1/2 medium
Dry spaghetti noodles 8 oz
Olive oil 1 tbsp

Instructions

Finely chop the onion and parsley needed for the meatballs.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients for the meatballs (except the oil) and mix until just combined
Divide the mixture into 24 equal parts and make balls out of each.
Brush a cast iron skillet skillet with the canola oil and cook the meatballs on all sides until browned. Since these meatballs are fairly small, they cook very fast.
In the meantime, finely dice 1/2 a medium onion and garlic cloves for the sauce.
Add the olive oil to a saucepan and add in the onion and garlic. Sauté till fragrant, about 3-4 minutes
Add the canned tomato sauce, sugar, black pepper, basil leaves and salt. Mix and simmer the sauce for 6-8 minutes. Remove the basil leaves before adding noodles
Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and add immediately to the prepared sauce.
Serve the noodles in a bowl. Top with 6 meatballs for each serving and a sprinkling of cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Tips

I try to use organic no salt added canned tomato sauce. It is a little expensive, but healthier than the cheaper high sodium versions. In this recipe, I used a sauce with basil added. So, I skipped the basil leaves. There are also sauces available with garlic added. You can skip the garlic or reduce the amount if you choose to use this variety
Please make sure to mix the meatball mixture just until combined. Over mixing can lead to tough meatballs
I made mini meatballs, but you can also make larger meatballs. To make sure these are cooked thoroughly, simmer them in the sauce for 6-8 minutes. They will not cook completely in the time taken to sear the sides
The meatballs can be cooked and frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend doubling or even tripling the recipe and freezing a whole bunch of these.
The base recipe of the these meatballs is very versatile. I made these Italian style, but you can add any spices. Eg: Add cumin powder, paprika and cilantro for a Mexican style meatball. You only need to make sure the egg, breadcrumbs and chicken ratio remains the same!

I always stock up on meatballs when I see ground chicken on sale. Since these freeze well, it’s a good way to save some cash and make sure I have emergency food on hand when I don’t want to cook. I also freeze the tomato sauce mentioned in this post. I always end up making more than I need.😅 I hope you give this easy recipe and try and as always let me know how it goes!

Tomatillo Pasta Sauce

I’ve gotten into looking up weekly deals and coupons recently. There were some really good deals on Buitoni pasta, and I got amazing cheese tortellini. Since my dairy issue turned out to be something else, I’ve been enjoying eating a little dairy. I’m a little relieved I don’t need to give up cheese entirely. However, I still think it’s better to find vegan alternatives whenever possible!

I also bought some tomatillos after eating a tomatillo pasta sauce at someone’s house. It was tangy and delicious. Then I forgot about them and they sat in my fridge for a long time! Once I realized I still had them, I had to try a one pan roasted vegetable pasta sauce! This recipe is vegan and you can add any pasta you like to it. I added the Buitoni pasta, but really anything will work here. The recipe is also super easy and it comes together so fast! All you need to do is chop up some veggies. Your appliances will do the rest!

Servings: 2, Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Tomatillos 3 medium
Carrot 1 medium
Jalapeño 1/2 pepper
Garlic 6 cloves
Pasta of choice 9 oz (I used Buitoni cheese tortellini)
Olive oil 2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Pepper 1 tsp
Cheese of choice (use vegan if you want!) 2 tbsp
Chopped parsley 1 tbsp (optional for garnishing)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
Remove outer skin on tomatillos and cut into quarters. Roughly chop the carrot into about 1/2 inch pieces. Snip of the hard ends of the garlic cloves, but DO NOT peel them.
Arrange all the veggies on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and roast for 20-25 minutes till soft
While the veggies roast, boil the pasta according to package directions. Once done, drain all but 1/2 cup of the pasta water. The veggies and pasta should be done cooking around the same time.
Peel the roasted garlic cloves. The flesh should pop out if you squeeze the end of the clove.
Combine the roasted veggies in the blender along with the pasta water and blend into a smooth paste.
In a bowl, add the pasta. Top with the sauce, cheese and parsley. Enjoy while it’s still hot!

Vibrant and silky deliciousness!

Tips

I cannot stress this enough: please do not peel the garlic cloves. If you so, they will loose all the moisture and become unusable. The skin protects the moisture inside the cloves and prevents hardening
Using store bought stuffed pasta like the one I used can elevate this dish to an entirely new level. While this would taste amazing with any pasta you like, I highly recommend using a filled pasta. It is very easy to make your own ravioli with wonton wrappers! Let me know in the comments if you’d like a post on that…
While tomatillos are available throughout the year, they’re best eaten from June through November. If you cannot find tomatillos, use cherry tomatoes instead. Half a package of cherry tomatoes should yield the same amount of sauce. Roast them whole!
Tomatillos have a outer skin which protects them inside the fridge. I forgot I had them for about three weeks, but they were fine when I used them. So it’s very important to store them with the skin on.

This easy recipe makes for a great weekend meal. It is also high in fiber and nutrients, and has an amazing color! It’s also a good way to finish that leftover carrot you couldn’t find a use for. So I hope you make this and as always let me know how it goes!

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

I’ve recently discovered I get a weird stomach ache on eating dairy. I also get itchy all over on eating eggs, so its time to start looking for vegan options. I’ve always liked Eggplant Parmesan and it’s a great dish to feed a crowd.

Servings: 6 Prep time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For processing the eggplants

Eggplants: 3 medium
Plant milk 1.5 cups (I used oat milk)
Cornflour 1 tsp
All purpose flour 1 cup
Breadcrumbs 2 cups
Dry mixed herbs 2 tsp
Ground black pepper 1 tsp
Salt as needed
Olive oil as needed

For the cashew ricotta

Cashews 1.5 cups
Hot water enough to cover cashews
Salt 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice 1/2 tsp

For the sauce

Tomatoes 2 medium
Tomato paste 1/4 cup
Water as needed
Basil leaves 5-6
Salt and pepper to taste
Shallot 1
Garlic 3 cloves
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Sugar 2 tbsp

For assembling

Vegan cheese 2 cups (I prefer daiya since it melts well, but any cheese is fine)
Prepared eggplants, sauce and ricotta

Instructions

Slice the eggplants into 1/4 inch slices
Sprinkle both sides of the slices liberally with salt and let sit for at least 30 mins
In the meantime, soak the cashews in hot water for 15-20 mins.
Blend the cashews, salt and lemon juice to a smooth paste. Set aside till assembly
Mix the cornflour and plant milk together in a bowl.
In another bowl, mix the ground pepper and breadcrumbs
Dab the eggplant slices to remove the moisture
Spread some olive oil on baking trays to grease them
Coat each eggplant slice in flour, then dip in the plant milk liquid. Coat the slices liberally with the breadcrumbs and lay on the greased sheets
Drizzle some olive oil on top and bake in 400 F oven for 20-25 mins. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle salt on both sides
Finely chop the garlic cloves, shallot and tomatoes
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the garlic and shallots until translucent
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until just soft, maybe 5 mins
Add the tomato paste and mix well.
Add about a cup of water and the sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Coved and simmer for 15-20 mins adding water as needed.
Finely chop basil and add to the sauce after removing from heat.
In a deep baking pan, spread some sauce at the bottom. Arrange the baked eggplant slices above the sauce, then spread cashew ricotta on top. Sprinkle some vegan cheese on the ricotta. Repeat the layers till all the eggplant is used. Spread the remaining sauce and cheese on the top of the last layer of eggplant
Bake in a 350 F oven for 20 mins or till the cheese has melted and everything is heated through

Tips

The ricotta and eggplant slices can be prepared up-to a day in advance. Just bake the eggplant slices when ready to assemble!
Please do not skip “sweating” the eggplant slices since this will remove moisture and reduce bitterness. Also do not forget to salt the slices once baked to make sure they’re seasoned well
The lemon juice in the ricotta is optional, but it gives a nice tang. You can also use white vinegar
Please simmer the sauce at least 15 mins. This helps the flavors to intensify. You can simmer it for up to 1 hour if you have the time.

This is definitely a long process, but this will feed at least 6 people. Once you get into the rhythm of coating the slices, it’s easy to prepare a whole bunch of them. Preparing some pans of this will ensure you can feed a whole party without too much effort! I hope you give this a try, and let me know how it goes!!