Cheese Pasta

White Sauce Pasta is the most sought after Italian dish apart from the Red Sauce Pasta and Pizza. This easy-to-make recipe can be prepared at home with some simple ingredients Treat yourself with this creamy cheese pasta. Once, I had this pasta in a restaurant and I enjoyed this dish a lot. I just love that with the creamy and buttery flavor of pasta. I decided to make this pasta at home. White Sauce Pasta is one of the easiest pasta recipe, which can be prepared in just a few minutes. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked small tube pasta
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Take a pan and heat it over medium flame
• Then add some water and boil them with a little salt. If you like the taste of black pepper you can add a pinch of black pepper powder.
• Then add pasta and boil it until it becomes soft (prevent over boiling), when cooked keep it aside.
• For preparing white sauce, put a pan on low-medium flame and heat olive oil in it.
• Add butter and then add garlic cloves in it.
• Add Gated cheese and when cheese melts, add pasta and sauté for 2 minutes on medium flame and add oregano, pepper and serve hot with basil leaves.

Paneer Butter Masala/Paneer Makhani

Paneer Butter Masala is a traditional North Indian recipe in which Paneer pieces are cooked in rich creamy butter & tomato gravy. Paneer Butter Masala also named as Butter Paneer, Paneer Makhani etc. the dish is made up of aromatic Indian spices and by rich gravy made by using tomato puree, onion paste, and cashew paste. Paneer is a type of fresh cheese common in Indian subcontinent, and Paneer butter masala is one of the most popular Paneer recipes in Indian cuisine. The dish looks very exotic and tastes yummy. This dish is more appropriate for occasions , special events, celebrations, gathering and parties.

Ingredients

Paneer: 250 gms

Tomatoes: 4-5, roughly chopped

Onions: 2-3. roughly chopped

Ginger-Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp

Cashew Nut: 1/4th cup

Garam Masala: 1/4th tsp + to sprinkle

Cardamom Powder: 1/4th tsp

Paprika Powder: 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1/4th tsp

Sugar: 1/2 tbsp

Milk/Water: 1/2 cup

Heavy Cream: 1/4th cup

Butter: 2 tbsp

Oil: 2 tsp

Salt: To Taste

Kasoori Methi [Dried Fenugreek Leaves]: 1 tbsp, crushed

Coriander: 1 tbsp, chopped to garnish

 Instructions

• Roughly chop the onions and tomatoes. Put 1 tsp oil in a pan and dump all the onions and tomatoes into it. Now add the cashews. Let this cook for 7-10 mins or till the onions become soft and tomatoes become mushy. The cashews would also become soft by then.
• Now switch off the flame and wait for the mixture to cool down a bit. Grind to a smooth paste
• Take 2 tbsp butter in a pan. Also add a tsp of oil into it, this will prevent the butter from burning. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add in the paprika powder, cardamom powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, salt and sugar and give it a good mix. Now crush the kasoori methi and add it to the gravy.
• Add the cream into the gravy next.
• Cut paneer into desired shape and add to the gravy. At this stage you can add either milk or water to the gravy. Milk will further increase the richness of the dish.
• Cover the paneer and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes on low heat.
• This is to make sure that the paneer absorbs all the spices well. Sprinkle garam masala on top and garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve Paneer Makhani with butter naan or rice.

Tips

• Skip using the cream if you want to cut down on the calories. Use milk instead.
• The gravy can also be made using almond paste.
• The gravy gets really thick after it cools down [because of cashews] so adjust the consistency accordingly.