One-pan pastas: cook noodles right in their sauce for a lot of flavor and little work

Sunset, Feb, 2005 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

Nothing turns dinner into a chore like a sink full of pots. Even for supposedly simple pasta, most recipes have you boil the noodles in one pan and make the sauce in another. But you can simplify the process by starting the sauce, then adding the dry pasta and finishing them together. Besides the obvious advantage of reducing the pan count (you won't even need a strainer), this method packs the noodles with flavor.

These two recipes start with a broth-and-wine cooking liquid seasoned with lemon, then each takes on a distinct personality from a variety of simple additions--herbs, vegetables, seafood, chicken, or cheese. You have ultimate control over the sauciness (so to speak) of the final results; you can add more broth after the pasta is cooked. If you create a soupy supper, don't forget crusty bread for soaking up the juices.

Chicken Fettuccine with Mushroom Brie

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

NOTES: For deeper mushroom flavor, stir hot mushroom slices sauteed in butter (see page 88) into the pasta, or spoon them over the top as a garnish.

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
    2 cups dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
  1/2 cup whipping cream
    1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
  1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
      About 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot chile flakes
    8 ounces mushroom-flavored brie cheese
   12 ounces dried fettuccine
    2 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (8 oz.)
      Grated parmesan cheese
      About 1 cup watercress leaves, rinsed and drained

1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan, combine 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, wine, whipping cream, lemon peel, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and chile flakes to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, trim rind from brie and finely chop (rind adds flavor, but discard if you like). Cut brie into about 1/2-inch chunks.

3. Add fettuccine to pan, pushing it down into boiling liquid. Simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until pasta is tender to bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chopped brie rind (if using) and chicken and stir to blend. Stir in chunks of brie. Remove pasta from heat and let stand, uncovered, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often to make sure all the cheese melts (the rind won't melt). If you want saucier pasta, add up to 1 cup more broth and stir over high heat until steaming.

4. With tongs or two forks, lift pasta into wide soup bowls; spoon remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parmesan and more pepper to taste, and top with watercress leaves.

Per serving: 806 cal., 35% (279 cal.) from fat; 45 g protein; 31 g fat (17 g sat.); 66 g carbo (2.6 g fiber); 479 mg sodium; 140 mg chol.

Clam and Red Pepper Penne

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 50 minutes

MAKES: 6 servings

NOTES: For a shortcut, you can substitute 1 can (10 oz.) whole baby clams for the fresh clams. Skip step 1; instead, drain clams, reserving juices. Add juices, 1 bottle (8 oz.) clam juice, 2 cups wine, and enough broth to make 8 cups total in step 3.

    About 4 pounds clams in shells (see notes), suitable for steaming (2
    in. wide), scrubbed
  2 cups dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
  1 red bell pepper (8 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  1 onion (8 oz.), peeled and finely chopped
  1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
  2 tablespoons mustard seeds
  1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
    4 to 5 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
 12 ounces dried penne pasta (about 4 cups)
    Grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley or fresh cilantro

1. Put clams in a 5- to 6-quart pan and add 1 cup wine. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer until clams have opened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Using tongs, lift clams out; extract meat and put in a small bowl. Reserve some of the shells for garnish if desired. Slowly pour clam juice into another small bowl, leaving grit behind; rinse pan.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

2. Combine red pepper, onion, and butter in pan; stir often over high heat until vegetables are limp, 5 to 8 minutes. Add mustard seeds, lemon peel, and thyme.

3. Pour remaining 1 cup wine and juice from clams into a 2-quart glass measure; add enough broth to make 8 cups total. Pour into pan.

4. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Add penne, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Mix in clams, remove from heat, and let stand, uncovered, 5 to 8 minutes.

5. Ladle pasta and liquid into wide soup bowls; add a few clam shells to garnish if desired. Sprinkle with parmesan to taste, then top with parsley.

Per serving: 331 cal., 12% (40 cal.) from fat; 21 g protein; 4.4 g fat (1.4 g sat.); 51 g carbo (3.3 g fiber); 113 mg sodium; 21 mg chol.