Pink Sauce Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Butter (divided: 2 tbsp for white sauce, 1 tbsp for final sauce)
• 5 cloves Garlic (2 cloves minced for white sauce, 3 cloves minced for red sauce)
• 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour (refined flour for roux)
• 2 cups Milk (room temperature, whole milk preferred)
• 1.5 teaspoons Salt (divided: 1 tsp for sauces, ½ tsp for pasta water)
• 1 cup Grated Cheese (cheddar or mozzarella, finely grated)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra‑virgin preferred)
• 1 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes (adjust to taste)
• 1 medium Onion (roughly chopped)
• 4 medium Tomatoes (blanched, peeled, seeded, roughly chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Crushed Basil Leaves (dried; fresh basil can be used)
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup (adds sweet‑sour depth)
• 400 grams Pasta (any short pasta shape like penne or macaroni)
• 1 teaspoon Italian Mixed Herbs (store‑bought blend; can substitute fresh oregano, thyme, or basil)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley (finely chopped, for garnish)
• as needed Water (for blanching tomatoes and thinning sauce)

Instructions

1. Make the white (cheese) sauce base

   Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté briefly, then whisk in 2 Tbsp flour to form a roux; cook 1‑2 minutes until frothy but not browned.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium heat

2. Thicken the white sauce

   Gradually pour in 2 cups room‑temperature milk while whisking continuously. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

3. Finish the white sauce

   Season with 1 tsp salt, turn off the heat, and stir in 1 cup grated cheese until melted. Set aside; the sauce may look slightly thick.

   Time: PT2M

4. Blanch and peel tomatoes

   Bring a pot of water to a boil, score a small X on the bottom of each tomato, plunge them for 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water for 1 minute. Peel off the skins, remove seeds, and roughly chop.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: high heat

5. Prepare aromatics for red sauce

   Roughly chop the onion and set aside. Mince the remaining 3 garlic cloves.

   Time: PT5M

6. Sauté garlic, chili and onion

   Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp chili flakes, then the minced garlic and onions. Sauté lightly for 3 minutes; do not brown the onions.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium heat

7. Cook the tomato base

   Add the chopped tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tsp crushed basil leaves to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes until the tomatoes soften.

   Time: PT4M

   Temperature: medium heat

8. Combine white and red sauces

   In the same pan, combine the prepared white sauce and red tomato mixture in equal parts (about 1 cup each). Add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp tomato ketchup. Heat gently, stirring, until smooth.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

9. Boil the pasta

   Fill a large pot with water, bring to a rolling boil, add a generous pinch of salt, then add 400 g pasta. Stir immediately to prevent sticking and cook until al dente (8‑10 minutes).

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: high heat

10. Drain pasta

    Turn off the heat, pour the pasta into a colander, and let it drain briefly. Do not rinse.

    Time: PT1M

11. Finish the dish

    Return the pasta to the pan with the pink sauce, add the reserved pasta water as needed to reach a silky consistency, sprinkle 1 tsp Italian mixed herbs, and toss gently. Finish with 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: medium heat

12. Plate and serve

    Serve the pink sauce pasta hot, optionally garnished with extra grated cheese or a drizzle of olive oil.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

550

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

4 g