Welcome to One Pot Wonders, a new bi-weekly feature where Rachel Tucker explores the possibilities of quick meals made in simply one pot. That means, no crazy complicated clean up and effortless, delicious recipes to get you in and out of the kitchen in a jiff. 

Scattered throughout my pantry are traces of pasta dinners past. Boxes of half-empty angel hair, egg and lasagna noodles line the shelves just begging to be bathed in a pot of salty water.

What to do. I answered the call with a seemingly benign amount of angel hair and in just minutes my pasta pot was nearly overtaken by a mountain of noodles. Given the circumstance, revisions seemed prudent.

Crafting the perfect pasta pomodoro requires the right ratio of pasta to tomatoey-garlicky goodness, a sea of starchiness simply will not do. Once the pasta is al dente, drain and set aside. Let's face it, when you’re cooking with one pot, sometimes there’s a quick trip to the colander.

         Now for the sauce. The essence of a traditional pomodoro lies in the nature of its simplicity. Chopped onions are first sautéed with a small mound of garlic, mushrooms, white wine, salt and a few turns of the pepper mill. While atypical of a traditional pomodoro, mushrooms add tremendous earthiness and body. Ripe tomatoes and fresh herbs impart sweetness and structure, and a drizzling of balsamic vinegar and lemon juice yields a bright finish. A brief simmer melds and intensifies the flavor, leaving only one more step before complete pasta satisfaction. Lightly toss the angel hair with the finished sauce until every strand of pasta is coated and sprinkle with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cleaning out the pantry has never been so satisfying. 

Pasta Pomodoro

¼ lb uncooked angel hair pasta

2 tbsp of olive oil

¾ cup yellow onion, chopped

7 cloves of garlic, minced

16 oz of button mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup dry white wine

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

2 ½ lbs tomatoes, roughly chopped

½ cup of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

¼ cup of basil, chiffonade

1 cup of baby spinach

1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar

juice of half a lemon

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add pasta. Once the pasta is al dente, drain and set aside. Return the pot to the stovetop and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and white wine. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for approximately ten minutes until the vegetables have softened and the wine has reduced slightly. Add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, spinach, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the flavors meld and the spinach wilts. Lightly toss the pasta with the sauce until the pasta is completely heated through and evenly coated. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil.

*To prepare the basil, simply stack the leaves on top of one another, roll them up into a cigar and slice crosswise into long, thin strips.