"This pasta is a complete revelation," writes Anna Jones in her new cookbook,A Modern Way to Cook, describing a dish that has "magic" in its name. Magic, how? Let's skip ahead to the end: when all is said and done, you'll have a creamy, fully realized, bright-tasting pasta dish that you've put together all in one pot—no separate boiling or simmering required.
Actually, Epi made a case for this technique a while back, when David Tamarkin wrote about the home cook's solution to the problem of water shortage:cook the pasta right in its sauce. (Alternately, David thought, you could just use less water than is usually called for—a technique tested and approved by the Epi Test Kitchen.) This was an abstract argument, admittedly—so thanks are due to Anna Jones for coming along with proof in the form of herKale, Tomato, and Lemon Magic One-Pot Spaghetti.
The key to a perfect one-pot pasta, she writes, is precisely measuring the water. (Which, by the way, you'll want to boil ahead of time;A Modern Way to Cookalso showcases Jones'swizardry with an electric kettle.) Chop up a handful of cherry tomatoes, zest a couple of lemons, then add both to a wide, shallow pan with your pasta—Jones prefers spaghetti or linguine. Pour the boiling water over this and crank up the heat.
Let this boil for a few minutes. Sort of likerisotto, the pasta will release some of its starches into the water at the same time as the water evaporates off; what's left behind turns into, with help from the juice from the tomatoes, a startlingly silky sauce. Kale tossed in at the end adds greenery; a sprinkle of Parmesan provides a salty finish. You're done in about ten minutes, and with only one pan to wash besides.
