By Emma Hatcher
I discovered one-pot pasta thanks to the brilliant women that are Anna Jones and Martha Stewart. A totally genius idea and such a simple method of cooking pasta, I haven’t been able to stop making it on weeknights since.
I like to add a few chilli flakes to the creamy sauce that’s created in the pan while the pasta cooks, along with leafy spinach, basil, a knob of butter and my favourite cheese - parmesan or goat’s - on top.
This recipe is gluten-free but you can also use whole wheat spaghetti instead of gluten-free spaghetti, you might just need to reduce the pasta cooking time by a minute or so (check your pasta packet). To make this recipe dairy-free and vegan, use dairy-free butter and cheese alternatives, or skip them both and add in some extra olive oil for richness.
Serves 4
Ingredients
350g gluten-free spaghetti
300g cherry or similar tomatoes, halved
Zest of 1 lemon
50ml olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
250g spinach
20g unsalted butter
Small bunch of basil leaves
Cheese of choice – goat's cheese, parmesan or ricotta are delicious on top
Method
Boil the kettle and have ready a large shallow pan with a lid. To the pan, add the spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, olive oil, sea salt and chilli flakes, if using. Pour over 900ml of boiling water, put the lid on the pan and bring to a boil.
As soon as the water is boiling, remove the lid and give everything a stir. Simmer over a medium-high heat for 9 minutes, using tongs to turn and shuffle around the pasta to stop it sticking.
Once the pasta is cooked to al-dente, stir through the spinach until wilted and take the pan off the heat. Toss through the knob of butter and divide the pasta between four bowls. Top with the basil leaves and a few handfuls or gratings of your favourite cheese.
