Extra-speedy one-pot pasta is not a new thing. The technique of cooking dried pasta in a pot with sauce has been popular in the U.S. for the last decade, and at least one culinary website, Food52, gives credit to home cooks in Puglia, Italy for the idea. I’ve made a version of it — a skillet lasagna — for a previous 5:30 Challenge, but the technique is not as universal as the internet claims it to be.
One-pot pasta isn’t great for preparing large batches of pasta. The technique works best when made in a wide skillet that allows each piece of pasta to come into contact with the sauce. Try fitting a pound of rigatoni in a standard large skillet, stir it around, and not spill.
Where the method does work exceptionally well is in recipes that call for pre-made refrigerated stuffed pastas, such as tortellini. These heartier pastas don’t need much liquid to cook through, and their mass-to-calorie ratio means that you can easily fit a family-sized portion in a skillet with plenty of room left for cooking liquid and even a vegetable or two.
A variation of one-pot tortellini that has recently become a favorite in my house is four-cheese pasta with sauteed scallions, wilted baby kale and plenty of lemon. Even when you take into account the small amount of knife work to chop the scallions, you can get this dish on the table in about 15 minutes, which means it really lives up to its quick-cooking promise.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
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