Paneer Penne

 Here is one Italian dish with Indian take on it.  It's a big hit with kids and grown-ups. This dish is a fusion of different tastes. It replaces the normally used Mozzarella cheese in Italian dishes with Paneer which is a staple in Indian cuisine. This dish is hearty,robust with flavors and easy to make one  dish meal.

Serving: 2

Ingredients

Penne Pasta(uncooked): 1 cup

Paneer* (cubed) :1 cup

olive oil /peanut oil:3 tablespoon

garlic chopped1/2 teaspoon

Marinara Sauce:3/4  or  1 cup

Basil leaves: 4-5 Chiffon -ed

salt and pepper
Paprika or Red pepper flakes (optional):1/2 teaspoon

Directions:

Take a large pot , boil water ,add salt and cook the pasta according to instructions on the box.Drain the pasta and reserve a little pasta water.Keep the pasta aside.
Take olive oil in a pan.add garlic and paneer cubed. Saute until slightly golden brown. Now add the marinara sauce and the pasta***. Mix everything well.Add salt and pepper and finely chopped Basil leaves. If the pasta feels a bit dry ,add 2-3 tbsp of pasta water.
If you like spicy add paprika or red pepper flakes.
This is a big hit in our house with kids. It's a great lunch box keeper or best to enjoy it with some lemonade on summer days.

*:Paneer is Indian style cottage cheese,it's easily available in any South Asian grocery store.If you cannot find paneer you can substitute it with tofu. 
***:When making for kids,just cut the cooked pasta in two  pieces which make it easier for little hands to eat.with fork or spoon.

Food for the brain: Life is a combination of magic and Pasta.