Cheese Sauce for Pasta

This receipe was originally borrowed from a site called "A Couple Cooks" and adapted to the food I was serving. ( https://www.acouplecooks.com/white-sauce-pasta/ ) The pasta involved in my case was Pelmeni, which is Russian in origin and can be found with a variety of fillings. I can get it from the local European Delicatessen and really like the tastes. You can eat it with tomato sauces, but they tend to overwhelm the taste of the filling, so I've started using this instead.

Ingredients

1. 1 pound pasta noodles of any shape: pelmeni, spaghetti, bucatini, penne, riagotni, cavatappi, etc.
2. 2 tablespoons salted butter
3. 2 cloves of garlic, grated
4. 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
5. 3 cups milk
6. ½ teaspoon salt
7. ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Start a pot of well salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it is just al dente (start tasting a few minutes before the package recommends: you want it to be tender but still a little firm on the inside; usually around 7 to 8 minutes). Drain.

Meanwhile, measure out all ingredients in advance; the cooking process happens fast!

Right after you add the pasta to the pot, start the sauce: In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the grated garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute to 90 seconds, until bubbly and golden. Do not overcook it: the flour can turn brown within a few seconds. Keep an eye on it!

Add a splash of milk and whisk it in: the sauce will instantly turn chunky. Constantly whisking, continue to add splashes of milk and whisk them in until the entire quantity is incorporated and the sauce is smooth.

Reduce the heat and whisk until the sauce thickens and no longer tastes like raw flour, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and Parmesan cheese. Taste and add a pinch or two more salt if desired.

Drain the pasta, then add the sauce. Add a splash or two of milk to loosen the sauce and stir until you have the right consistency. Taste and a few more pinches of salt, if necessary. (The sauce is best freshly made, so we don’t recommend making it in advance). Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

------------------- Bon Appetit ! -------------------