One-Pot Pasta

Adapted from Food 52.

I remembered my mother’s skordomakarona as I came across the very precise recipe for convenient One Pot pasta.

It is a nine-minute affair that involves cooking together in a pot chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, pasta and some water. Of course I adapted the recipe, increasing the amount of olive oil somewhat, added more garlic, and thyme instead of the basil, and I am so pleased with the results that think that from now on I will never make pasta any other way.

I intend to create seasonal variations, for example with spinach or bitter wild greens, and later I will add diced zucchini, probably. What makes my version quite different is the addition of crumbled feta at the end. I believe that the combination is ideal!

Serves 4

12 ounces (360 grams) linguine or  Ditallini

12 ounces (360 grams) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large

1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

3 sprigs fresh Oregano (or 2 sprigs basil) plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more good fruity olive oil for serving

Coarse sea salt

4 1/2 cups water

1 cup crumbled feta cheese, or more, to taste

Combine the pasta, tomatoes, onions, garlic, red-pepper flakes, herbs, oil, 1 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet (the linguine should lay flat) or sauté pan.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the mixture, stirring often and turning the pasta frequently with tongs or a wooden fork, until the pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.

Divide among 4 bowls, sprinkle with feta, garnish with herbs and drizzle with fruity olive oil. Serve immediately.

VARIATION: 

Pasta for a Crowd

From O Allos Anthropos

A few days after I tasted One Pot Pasta, my friend Annia Ciezadlo who was writing a story about the immigrants in Lesbos asked for my help as she was trying to translate the Pasta for a Crowd recipe a wonderful volunteer cooked for the refugees. It is flavored with a very interesting mixture of spices and Annia had tried it and loved it, she said. I have to take her word for it, since I won’t be able to ever cook this quantity – it is said to feed 1000 people— because even with help I no longer can stir or lift a pot this size…

SERVES 1000 (!)

20 kilos Pasta or rice

50-60 Lt. water,

1/2 kilo salt ,

5-6 Tablespoons ground pepper,

2 Tablespoons cumin ,

2 Tbs rosemary +2TBs basil+ 2 TBs thyme

1/2 cup (probably) paprika,

1/2 cup (probably) ginger –dry powdered, probably.

3 cinnamon sticks,

1 1/2-2 kilos tomato paste,

10 onions, chopped, I imagine

6 X 4,5-kilos cans lightly concentrated tomato pulp (Pumaro)

2 kilos olive oil

and some ground cinnamon.

Add everything in one or two huge pots and cook stirring often, until pasta (or rice) are cooked, adding more water if needed.