Pasta in White Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 cups penne, boiled
• 2 cups milk
• 1 onion wedge
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons refined flour (maida)
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
• 30 grams processed cheese
• A pinch of nutmeg powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 
• 1/2 small yellow squash, cut into triangles
• 10-12 broccoli florets, blanched
• 4-5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Crushed black peppercorns to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon red chilli flakes
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 oregano sprig
• Parsley sprig for garnish
• Pesto toast for garnish

Method

1. To make white sauce, pour milk into a deep non-stick sauce pan. Stud onion wedge and bay leaf with clove and add to the milk and let the mixture come to a boil. Discard the bay leaf, onion and cloves and take the pan off the heat. .
2. Heat a wide and deep pan, add butter and when it melts add refined flour, mix and saute for 1 minute. Add the hot milk and mix continuously so that no lumps are formed. Cook till the mixture is smooth and thick.
3. Add salt and white pepper powder and mix well. Grate processed cheese into the pan, mix well and cook till the cheese melts.
4. Add nutmeg powder, mix well and take the pan off the heat.
5. Heat olive oil in non-stick pan, add garlic and sauté till raw smells disappear.
6. Add yellow squash, broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes, mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add penne paste and toss well. Add salt and crushed black peppercorns and mix well.
8. Add the white sauce, dried red chilli flakes, thyme and oregano and toss well. Take the pan off the heat.
9. Transfer the paste onto a serving plate, garnish with parsley sprig, drizzle a little olive oil and serve hot with pesto toast.