Finally, I am back. Yes after such a long time, today I am able to let me thoughts flow and writing it down. Its kind of over whelming at this point. How do I structure my thought to let you know where I have been all this while and what all I did.
First thing first, thank you so much everyone who has drop by my posts. I thought my abandoned blog must be deserted. But, no some many of you have being dropping by and seriously that has given it a new lease of life.
So what happened? I went through a very tough time personally as well professionally. But through I this learnt few very important lessons, which I will be sharing one by one. I got this really difficult project at work, which challenged all my learnings and skills. At one point I thought seriously am I really good at what I am doing? Do I really have it in me? Kind of questions. I started doubting myself as it was pushing me to the edge to excel. I somehow sail through but biggest take away was, I truly love my profession J
Then came bad health amidst of storm of crazy work schedule. I always say “in my head, I am still 22”. But body does not hear that unless you take care of it and that’s exactly I have been doing. Juggling through hundreds of things, ignoring signal that I need to slow down and take care. Anyway all that is bygone and with my newly acquired knowledge I am trying to do what I love, Bake and write.
Today I am sharing a very simple classic dish,over simplified to suite all of us – Bake pasta, to give a little treat to yourself when we don’t have much time to cook yet want to enjoy a little something.
Everyone cooks pasta, and everyone has that something to be spot on when it comes to the dish. So for me it “Al Dante”. Perfectly cooked pasta. I hate overcooked pasta to the core. So what the trick to have it perfect every time. For me simple –bubbling boiling water, an eye for2-3 mint when pasta is cooking and sprinkle of olive pit just after draining. What is it for you? Let me know.
All you need:
1 Cup Pasta (any shape you like but Penne is great for baking as it absorbs lot of sauce)
4 Cup water
3 Tablespoon Olive oil
3 Tomato (chopped and sliced)
6 garlic Cloves
1 cup Milk
½ table spoon plain flour
1/2 cup grated cheese
½ cup onion chopped
Salt, Paper and Herbs to taste
1 sage leaf
1 table spoon butter
1. Boil water and add a pinch of salt. Add pasta and cook it for 2-3 min. Cook it till it’s cooked but still has a slight raw center. Drain and add olive oil. Keep aside
2. Boil milk in a heavy base pan with 1 spoon chopped onion and sage leaf for 15 min and strain the milk.
3. In a pan, warm butter and add flour. Cook for 2 min and add milk while stirring. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture. Add Cheese and cook for 1 min, add salt and paper to your taste.
4. Pre-heat oven at 200 degree C. Grease a baking tine with butter. Arrange chopped tomato, sprinkle chopped onion and garlic. Pour half of the white sauce.Drizzle some olive oil. Over this layer with half of cooked pasta and sprinkle some cheese and herbs. I chose thyme, go for what you like. Repeat the process. Now place remaining tomatoes and cheese and give a good sprinkle of olive oil, salt and paper.
5. Bake for 30 min at 200 degree C unless cheese melts and turn brown.
Serve warm and enjoy a happy meal with a smile.
