Pasta with Bechamel Sauce and Smoked Salmon

You can easily add other ingredients to shake this recipe up such as chopped dill, diced Roma tomatoes, lightly steamed asparagus, sauteed shallots, sliced green onions, peas, diced red bell pepper, etc.

This time I just served it plain, with toasted pecans and snipped chives.

Pasta with Bechamel Sauce and Smoked Salmon

Serves 2 to 4 (Easily increased)

8 ounces dry pasta, your choice of shape. Cooked according to package directions.

4 to 6 ounces Smoked Salmon, flaked or cut into small pieces

Bechamel Sauce

(Yields about 2 cups)

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (depending upon how salty the salmon is, you may want to reduce this)

generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted; add flour and stir until smooth. Cook a few minutes until the mixture barely colors. (About 5 to 7 minutes.)

In the meantime heat the milk in a separate pan until almost boiling (can heat in microwave.) Whisk the hot milk into the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Gently bring to a boil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes (stir constantly.) Remove from heat and season with salt and nutmeg.

You can stir the salmon and extras you are using into the sauce, but I prefer to sauce the pasta and add the salmon (and any other ingredients) as a garnish on top. It's your choice.

Toss or pour the sauce over the hot pasta and enjoy!

A very easy dinner, ready in just a short time.