Baked Farfalle with Cheese

My kids love pasta for their lunchboxes. This one is our all time favorite. Instead of farfalle, we usually use penne or macaroni. It's really easy to make, just boil the pasta al dente, add bechamel sauce/white sauce, add shredded cheese on top of it then bake for half an hour.



My Kind of Bechamel Sauce/White Sauce

Ingredients:
60g butter, chopped
garlic, chopped
1/3 cup plain flour
4 1/2 cups whipped cream (liquid)
75g parmesan cheese/cheddar cheese, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
good pinch ground nutmeg

Directions :
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add garlic, sauteed until fragrant, then add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from heat. Slowly add whipped cream, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth. Return to heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in parmesan, salt and nutmeg.

Sometimes I add smoked chicken, mushroom, cubed carrot and chopped parsley in the sauce.

Mix together cooked pasta and sauce in the baking dish. Add shredded cheese. Then bake in a preheated 350 degree F(175 degrees C) oven for 30-45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.