Today I had some left over basil pesto sauce in my refrigerator but it wasn’t enough to make a whole pasta dish. I then put my thinking caps on and decided to mix a white cheese sauce with the basil pesto . The end result was a yummy creamy pesto pasta. This is a good alternative to adding cream to pesto. There is no need to add too much cheese either. I have used a store bought quinoa pasta , which I realise has a great flavour as well and enhances the taste of the dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa pasta
- 1/2 cup basil pesto sauce
- 1/2 cup boiled broccoli
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
- 1/2 tsp dried herbs
- 1 1/2 cups of milk
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 leaves of basil
- 2 slices of low fat cheese
Method:
Boil the quinoa pasta with some salt and keep it aside. In a separate pan heat the oil and add the onions and garlic. Sauté them for a few minutes , till translucent, and add the mushrooms and broccoli and cook for a few minutes. Add the flour and allow it to roast till slightly golden in colour. Take the pan off the fire and add the milk , preferably cold , and stir vigorously. Put the pan back on fire and allow the sauce to thicken while stirring continuously. Add the cheese and mix well. Add the pesto and fresh basil leaves and stir in the pasta when ready to serve.