Creamy Bechamel Spinach Pasta

Italian Pastas and Pizzas are globally popular. I love both. For pastas, I like white Béchamel sauce and Alfredo sauce more than the tomato sauce. If you like it too, try this Farfalle or Bow-tie Pasta in a creamy Béchamel Sauce with Spinach.

Ingredients:
Pasta - 2 cups
Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Baby Spinach - about 1 cup
Butter - 1 1/2 tbsp
All Purpose Flour/Maida - 2 tbsp (leveled)
Garlic - 2 cloves (minced)
Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry Oregano - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg/Jaiphal - 1/8 tsp
Cinnamon/Dalchini - 1/8 tsp (optional)
Salt

How to cook White Bechamel Sauce Pasta:

• Cooking Pasta: Heat 5 - 6 cups water in a big pot. When water starts boiling, add pasta and salt. Cook the pasta for 10 - 12 minutes or as per the package instructions. Use any pasta of your choice.
• I have used bow-tie / farfalle pasta. You could use any other kind. Whole wheat pasta would taste good too.
• Preparing Béchamel Sauce: Heat butter in a thick bottom pan. Add all purpose flour to the melted butter. Stir until the color changes to golden brown and turns aromatic. This butter/oil and flour base is called as Roux. Now add milk gradually and whisk continuously until smooth. Bring it to a boil.
• Instead of butter, you can use olive oil. And you can add slightly more butter or oil as well. The restaurant style pastas have too much butter.
• Now add nutmeg, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, black pepper and salt to the sauce. Add spinach and cook till spinach wilts. Along with spinach, you can use other veggies like green peas, broccoli. Lastly, add cooked pasta and stir well to mix all the ingredients well. Enjoy Creamy Spinach Pasta with garlic bread.
• If you are not a fan of greens, skip spinach.
• Oregano and/or Italian Seasoning can also be used. Garlic powder can be used instead of fresh garlic cloves.

Top Spinach Pasta with some more Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese and enjoy.