Creamy pasta with basil

There is nothing (and I mean nothing!) that I love more than a big bowl of creamy pasta.

What's just slightly better? Eating a bowl of creamy pasta while watching a marathon of Mariah's World. Are you watching? I'm insanely obsessed with btw. So obsessed that I made everyone be quiet during the New Years party I was at during her performance which...well, we know how that ended...

So what's this pasta dish? It's kind of like an alfredo with shredded mozzarella. It's also a little bit like a pesto without blitzing it because it has all the ingredients that would go into a fresh pesto sauce.

Creamy pasta with basil

• 1 lb. penne regate

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup half and half

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

• 1 big handful fresh basil, chopped

• To serve: Squeeze of lemon, parmesan, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and set aside, keeping the pot on medium-low heat.

Add the olive oil + butter to the empty pot. Once the butter melts add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the flour stirring until the mixture comes together into a paste.

At this point add the milk and half and half bit by bit stirring between each addition. Be patient, adding more of the dairy once the addition thickens. You’ll want the mixture to coat the back of a spoon once you've added all the dairy to the pot. 

Finish by stirring in the shredded mozzarella and basil. Once the cheese is melted, add the pasta and stir to coat.

Serve a big bowl full of pasta with a squeeze of lemon, grated parmesan cheese, more fresh basil and toasted pine nuts. Devour.