As the rains splash on my window, I yearn for something nice, hot and cheesy to satiate my appetite. It was then I decided to whip up this easy pasta dish! It’s one of my husband’s faves plus I had everything I needed in my pantry and fridge. This is my go to combination- a classic pasta dish that is fast, comforting and versatile…
Ingredients
Pasta
- 200g fusilli pasta
For the Alfredo sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups luke warm milk
- Salt to taste
- White pepper freshly ground
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
For the crostini
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 6-8 button mushrooms quartered
- 2 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese
- 2 slices of toasted baguette bread
For the herbed vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 carrot, cut in diagonal rounds
- 1 small onion quartered
- 1 small capsicum, quartered
- 1 small zucchini, cut in diagonal rounds
- Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
Method
For Pasta
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain
For the Alfredo sauce
- Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan
- Stir in the flour and cook on a low flame until the flour cooks, but don’t let it brown
- Add in the luke warm milk and continue to stir with a whisk as the sauce thickens. Bring the sauce to a boil
- Add salt and pepper to taste and then cook for 2-3 minutes more
- Then add the cheese and stir till the cheese completely melts
- Remove from heat and reserve ½ cup of the sauce for the crostinis
- Add the pasta to the rest of the sauce and return the pan to low heat. Add 2/3 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss with tongs, adding additional pasta water as needed to reach the desired sauce consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper if required.
- Serve immediately, with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
For the Crostini
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan, add the garlic and let the flavors infuse
- Drop in the mushrooms till the mushrooms are tender and there is no water left in the pan
- Season the mushrooms with chilli flakes and oregano
- Now add ½ cup of the reserved alfredo sauce and cook for a minute.
- The crostini topping is ready
- To assemble toast two slices of the baguette and smear the tops with the topping and grate some cheddar cheese
For the herbed vegetables
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Add a sprinkle of chilli flakes and then drop in the carrots sauté for half a minute and then add the zuchinni, capsicum and onions to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes
- Season with salt, pepper and oregano
