One Pot Pasta

One Pot Pasta

Oh how I love this dish.  I admit it; I had my doubts when I first saw it. I thought Martha Stewart was off her rocker and there was no way it could work. But I decided to try it. What did I have to lose? I tried it and I liked it. Now, I basically throw a bunch of stuff in a pot, add heat and get a great dish. Yes, it is that easy. I have a basic recipe below but I change it every time I make it. Other items you may want to add- mushrooms (portabellas are especially nice), olives, fresh buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced red pepper, bacon, or anything that would be a great pizza topping. I have tried multiple types of pasta in this dish and I prefer spaghetti. If you use spaghetti or any other type of long noodles, break them in half before placing it in the skillet.

One Pot Pasta

1 Box (16 oz. 454 g) of Uncooked Pasta
1 Handful of Arugula or Basil or Parsley
4 Cloves of Garlic, Thinly Sliced
1 Onion, Thinly Sliced
1 Handful of Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, Quartered
1/2 Pound (227 g) of Precooked Sausage or Meatballs (Optional)
Several Dashes to 1/2 Teaspoon of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes or a Dried Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
4 1/2 Cups (1 L) of Room Temperature Water
Salt and Pepper, to Taste
Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Place all of the ingredients except the cheese in the skillet (I use cast iron).

Everything is in one pot- It couldn't be easier

Next bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat so you have a little more than a simmer but less than a rolling boil.

Cooking the pasta and the ingredients

Boil mixture stirring frequently until the pasts is al dente and the liquid has mostly absorbed (about 9 minutes). You may need to extend the cooking time or add more water depending on the type of pasta. Towards the end of cooking taste and adjust slat and pepper if necessary. Remove from heat and place in bowls. Top with cheese. Enjoy!

A bowl of yummy pasta

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes. I can't wait to make it from summer ripened veggies.