Sabrina Fauda-Rôle - One Pot Pasta: From pot to plate in under 30 minutes

CONTENTS THE CONCEPT All the ingredients for the pasta dish are cooked together and simmered in a small amount of water at the same time. The starch released by the pasta during cooking, along with all the other ingredients, creates a delicious creamy sauce, making a pasta dish in record time using just one pot. THE STAGES Put the pasta into a large saucepan or casserole dish (24 cm/8 in minimum, 28 cm/12 in for long pasta). Add all the other ingredients. Pour in the water and stir. Place over a medium heat and cook for around 15 minutes, stirring regularly.

Around 2 cm ( in) of liquid should remain at the bottom of the pan at the end of cooking. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes, stirring regularly: the pasta will finish cooking without sticking and the sauce will thicken to the right consistency. If you serve it straight away, the pasta will not be fully cooked and the sauce will be too runny. Serve with any garnish suggested. The dishes are already seasoned with salt and pepper, but do taste the food and adjust if necessary before serving.

THE PASTA Choose good-quality dried pasta, which will remain intact when cooked.

Do not use quick-cooking pasta. You can switch various types of pasta as long as they have the same cooking time.

CREAMY INGREDIENTS These can be added at the beginning of the cooking time to give body and a creamy consistency to the sauce (double/heavy cream, mascarpone, butter, olive oil). You can also use products that are already cooked (tomato sauce, baba ganoush, cheese with garlic and herbs etc.). FLAVOURS AND SEASONINGS Enhance flavour with onions, shallots, garlic, aromatic herbs, stock cubes etc. HIGHLY FLAVOURED INGREDIENTS Use ingredients with strong flavours to add character to the pasta. HIGHLY FLAVOURED INGREDIENTS Use ingredients with strong flavours to add character to the pasta.

They will give the dish its dominant flavour (smoked fish, lardons, smoked ham, Roquefort etc.).

CRUNCHY INGREDIENTS Where possible, use organic vegetables. You can use frozen produce (meatballs, cooked mushrooms etc.), as it will defrost during cooking. Avoid tinned vegetables, as they tend to disintegrate. You can also add an extra crunch by including ingredients such as walnuts, pistachios or pine kernels. WATER Always use cold water; with hot water the pasta will soften much too quickly.

Use precise quantities otherwise your pasta will be undercooked or overcooked.

GARNISHES For a final touch, add Parmesan or other grated cheese, chopped fresh herbs, rocket (arugula) or pepper. SERVES 4 / 15 MINS INGREDIENTS 250 g (9 oz) spaghetti 12 pre-cooked meatballs 350 g (12 oz) passata 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 sprigs of thyme 8 large basil leaves 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon rock salt freshly ground black pepper 750 ml (25 fl oz) water grated Parmesan, to serve handful of rocket (arugula), to serve METHOD Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan in the order listed. Cook for approximately 15 minutes over a medium heat, stirring regularly. About 2 cm ( in) of cooking liquid should remain at the end. SERVES 4 / 15 MINS INGREDIENTS 250 g (9 oz) linguine 200 g (7 oz) smoked lardons 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 eggs bunch of chives, snipped 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan + a little more to serve 1 teaspoon rock salt 4 tablespoons olive oil freshly ground black pepper 750 ml (25 fl oz) water METHOD Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan in the order listed. SERVES 4 / 15 MINS INGREDIENTS 250 g (9 oz) linguine 200 g (7 oz) smoked lardons 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 eggs bunch of chives, snipped 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan + a little more to serve 1 teaspoon rock salt 4 tablespoons olive oil freshly ground black pepper 750 ml (25 fl oz) water METHOD Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan in the order listed.

Cook for approximately 15 minutes over a medium heat, stirring regularly. About 2 cm ( in) of cooking liquid should remain at the end. Serve with grated Parmesan.

SERVES 4 / 15 MINS INGREDIENTS 250 g (9 oz) whole-wheat fusilli 250 g (9 oz) mozzarella 140 g (5 oz) sun-dried tomatoes marinated in oil + their oil 100 g (3 oz) sliced pancetta 2 teaspoons oregano 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 vegetable stock cube 8 basil leaves freshly ground black pepper 750 ml (25 fl oz) water 2 handfuls of rocket (arugula) leaves METHOD Put all the other ingredients, except the rocket, into a large saucepan in the order listed. Cook for approximately 15 minutes over a medium heat, stirring. About 2 cm ( in) of cooking liquid should remain at the end.

Stir in the rocket.