One-pan pasta

[DetlefK]

Looks like there are some new noodles out there who will cook super-fast:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/30/no-boil-pasta-pronto_n_6969282.html?utm_hp_ref=taste&ir=Taste

And there are f**kloads of recipes for one-pot pasta. Just a few examples:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/20/easy-one-pot-pasta-recipe_n_6712998.html

so, here's my take:


Step 1: DON'T USE A POT, USE A PAN!
You want all the ingredients to reach the water at the same time. That doesn't work when you pile them up in a narrow and tall pot. Use a wide and low pan.

Step 2: USE A PAN WITH A LID!
Catch the steam and the heat and you need less water.



For 1-2 people:
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
* every dry ingredient that works on a pizza (except canned tomato and cheese), about 1 spoon to half a hand-full of each (all in all about 1-2 handfulls), chopped
(e.g. some chopped olives, a spicy sausage cut into thin slices, dried tomato cut into slices, a teaspoon of spices...)

Fry the onion and the garlic on medium heat, add the other dry ingredients and the spices after a while. (If you use fish, e.g. canned sardines, add it at the very last moment before you add the water, because it has a tendency to stick to the bottom.)

You need about 75-125g of noodles. If they are packed somewhat voluminous and "frizzy" (like Tagliatelle, Penne, Rigatoni), you don't have to weigh them: Take one to one-and-a-half handfulls of noodles. (Depends on your hand and your stomach.)

Add the noodles to the pan. Mix. Spread equally in pan.

Add water until about half an inch of the mix is below and half an inch is above water-level. (Depends on ingredients and pan.)

Close lid. Bring to raging boil. Once you have lots of steam, reduce heat to low. Steam/boil for 15-25 minutes without lifting lid.

[Warpy]

1. This is a variation on the Japanese rice cooker

spaghetti Bolognese recipe using a pressure rice cooker. The pasta doesn't boil, it steams, and never progresses past al dente into mush.

As underpaid work continues to eat up our lives, I'm sure we'll see a lot more recipes designed for the lazy/time restricted cook without a dishwasher.

Bonus points for eating it right out of the pot. Plates will become obsolete unless someone in the family has a cold and nobody wants to double dip with them.

[pinto]

2. I'm a fan of one pan pasta. I do mine like this -

Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in olive oil till tender and just browned. Toss in asparagus and mushrooms. Turn well. Add canned diced tomatoes with all the juice, fresh basil, a bit of thyme, sage and cinnamon. Keep at a good simmer. Add enough water to the sauce to match the amount of pasta to be cooked. Bring to a fast boil, add the pasta, stir. Return to a simmer and cover tightly. Walk away. I take a peek at 15 minutes. Re-cover till done or, if too thin, finish uncovered.