Step 1

Place water, salt, onion, garlic and bay leaf in a saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high. Once the water starts boiling, add the pasta. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the onion and garlic.

Step 2

Place cheese, roasted bell pepper, evaporated milk and reserved onion and garlic into your blender pitcher. Process until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.

Step 3

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, making sure not to burn it. Once it has melted, add the cheese and bell pepper sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Mix the pasta with the sauce and cook for another 2 more minutes, just enough time to mix well.

Step 5

Serve immediately. Add some crushed pepper, if desired. If you don’t plan to serve it right away,

Step 6

add a couple of tablespoons of milk when reheating, since the sauce tends to get dry when cold.