Lighter cream sauce for baked pasta
I want to make a baked pasta tonight, featuring leeks and oven-roasted tomatoes from my csa. I think my local Italian grocer's pork sausage would be nice too. I don't want a tomato sauce, but need something to bind the pasta.
The Fine Cooking master Baked Pasta recipe I have calls for 1.5 cups broth and 1 c heavy cream. Cooking Light's formula is 1/4 cup of flour to thicken 2 cups of 2% milk.
I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. I don't love heavy cream sauce enough to splurge here, and I think it'd be overkill with the sausage anyway. But when I tried the Cooking Light way I really tasted the flour and found the sauce too thick and gloopy.
Is there a good comprmomise? I'd improvise but I do need my sauce to set up enough for baked pasta.
Does anyone make baked pasta with just olive oil/pasta water/cheese?
julesrules
Sep 12, 2007 10:47AM
What about something like this:
http://healthycooking.suite101.com/ar...
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Try using evaporated skim milk. It thickens up really well with heat.
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A compromise that I've used well, is bechamel sauce which can be made with low fat milk, well seasoned with a dash of cayenne, nutmeg. Fold together with cottage cheese, I like using the smoothe, one or two beaten eggs depending on how much sauce you're making, and some freshly grated parmesan. I've used this also with smoked gouda and other strong cheeses for max flavour and minimal damage to waistline, lol.
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My standard white sauce base is
-- 1 cup buttermilk
-- 2 T wondra flour
You can take this in lots of directions.
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