Pepper Jack Penne with Herbed Garlic Bun

Most Fridays come with the urge of either eating out or calling for a greasey cheese pizza to be enjoyed over a movie. To make some of these Fridays special, I go out of my way to prepare, a more than usual cheesey pasta and some sinfully buttery and cheesey garlic buns. This is one dinner that the little ones look forward to and gobble up without much effort.

Here goes the recipe for it-

Ingredients:

1/2 lb penne pasta

1 cup sliced Asparagus,

For the sauce:

2 tbsp butter

1/8th cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno

1/2 tsp mixed italian herb seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil 3 quarts water in a large pan. add a tsp each of salt and sugar to it. Boil the penne pasta al dente and when almost done add the asparagus. Boil for a few more minutes and drain in a colander. Wash under cold water to stop the cooking process further.

2. Melt butter in a pan on medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk till it is smooth and the raw smell of the flour is gone.( I like frying fresh chopped Jalapeno for a spicier sauce. Add along with the flour)

3. Reduce the flame to low and slowly add the milk, whisking to make sure there are no lumps formed. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes (the sauce should coat the back of a spoon).

4. Add the cheesees and the chopped jalapeno and mix it till it melts. Now add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook further for a minute and turn off the flame. Check for seasonings and adjust.

5. At serving time, heat the sauce, add the pasta and the asparagus and mix gentally. Add a little more milk if the sauce becomes too thick.

6. Serve hot with Herbed Garlic Bun.

Sattu Paratha

I am sure everyone has similar days in their lives when the fridge is devoid of any fresh vegetables or when one does not want to go through an elaborate process of cooking to get a satisfying meal. On such days to get a very satisfying meal, my jar of Sattu comes in handy. Sattu is the flour obtained from roasted chana dal or daliya. This paratha tastes good with smoked baingan bharta or even with raita and pickle. Sattu is very healthy and nutritious and helps with gastric and indigestion problems. It is also very high in protein and makes it a very healthy choice of breakfast.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp Oil

For the filling:

1.5 cups sattu (flour of roasted chana dal)

1/2 cup finely chopped ginger-green chilli-garlic-onion( I like using the chopper for this. It helps in chopping the onions very fine, thus helping when we roll the parathas)

1/4 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped.

1 tbsp mango pickle

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

juice of a lemon

1/4 tsp each of ajwain and kalonji

2 tbsp mustard oil

salt and pepper to taste
oil/ghee for roasting the parathas

Method:

1. Mix the flour, salt and oil thoroughly. Add enough water to form a soft dough.Cover and keep aside.

2. Mix all the ingredients under the masala very well. Add a few sprinkles of water to keep the masala moist. Make sure that it forms a laddu when pressed between the palm.

3. Knead the dough one more time and make it smooth. Divide it into 8 portions. Divide the masala also into 8 parts.

4. Roll one dough ball into a small circle, brush with a little oil and stuff it with one portion of the masala making sure you seal it well. Roll it in dry flour and press it with the palm to form a disk. While pressing it also make sure that the masala inside is spread out evenly.

5. Now, heat a tawa to medium high flame. Let the first stuffed disc rest while you stuff your next paratha.

6. Once the second disc is ready, roll out the first disc to the thickness of your choice. I like it thin.

7. Roast and cook the paratha on both sides and then using enough oil fry till it is well done.

8. Keep stuffing, rolling and cooking the parathas giving each of them enough time to rest before proceeding with the next.

9. Enjoy with boondi raita and pickles. It also goes well with aloo subzee or tomato sweet chutney. Left over parathas taste very good with tea too.