by Julia Catherine Lee

Created on: June 01, 2009   Last Updated: June 02, 2009

A light summer pasta dish

Now that summer is here, one of my favorite dishes is a light pasta cooked in white sauce. Over the years I have perfected this recipe, and spiced up its taste with additional ingredients and seasonings. The dish can be served hot or chilled and is ideal for patio dining and outdoor family picnics.

Ingredients:
Spaghetti, my preference but you can use linguine, fettuccine, angel hair pasta or substitute it with wheat pasta

5-8 cloves of garlic, crushed and cut into small pieces ( I use a lot of garlic in my cooking, it is good for you)

Fresh chives, chopped fine

Green scallions, cut into small pieces

2 ripe (but not soft) red tomatoes (medium), cut into one inch squares

4 strips of bacon, cut into small bits and baked in oven until crunchy (optional)

Virgin olive oil

Crushed red pepper

Italian seasoning mix to taste

10-15 pickled olives (quantity according to taste), cut into 4 halves

Any white wine you have recently opened that is still good

low fat milk, half a cup

To make the pasta:
Add a teaspoon of olive oil to water in a deep saucepan, bring to a boil

Add 1/4 tsp of low sodium salt

Add pasta, cook until al dente (cooked but firm). 15-20 minutes depending on quantity and type of pasta

Drain water from pasta, rinse cooked pasta under tap water, put aside

To make the white sauce:
Add 2 teaspoon of olive oil to a saucepan, add crushed garlic, cook until lightly brown, I swirl the pan often to coat the garlic, 5 minutes

Add chopped red onions, stir for 5-10 minutes

Add cut olives

Add cut tomatoe pieces and Italian seasonings, some salt, sprinkle of crushed red peppers

Mix all ingredients well, the mixture should taste very yummy at this stage. Imagine the crushed garlic and olive mix with all the seasoning.

Add 1/2 cup of crushed oven grilled bacon (optional)

Add 1/2 cup of wate

Simmer for 5 more minutes

The above should take no more than 15-20 minutes. You do not want to overcook the tomatoes. The tomatoes should be just lightly cooked but coated well with the sauce.

Turn heat to low

Add 1/4 cup milk to ingredients, give the pan a quick stirring. Sauce should be lightly creamy

Add 1/4 of white wine to the sauce, again give it a quick stir stir into cooked pasta, and toss well until pasta is evenly coated with sauce

Add fresh chives and salt to taste

Serve hot or chilled.

Serve with tossed green salad with dressing of your choice, or as a side dish with French bread or garlic bread. Green salad with oil and balsamic vinegar and fresh pepper compliments the pasta well for those who prefer lighter meals. Sometimes I indulge myself in a little low fat ranch dressing for my salad. Finally, no pasta dish is complete for me without a nice glass of wine, a glass of merlot or chardonnay. For the kids, I serve iced tea or light lemonade.

There you have it, a light yummy summer pasta perfect for your alfresco dining.

Learn more about this author, Julia Catherine Lee.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.