Pasta might seem like an easy dish to make, but plenty can go wrong when cooking this simple dish which can make it mushy, clumped together or simply taste bland. Most people cook the pasta at the very end of the process, which often leads to mistakes such as not salting the water properly or allowing the pasta to sit for too long, causing it to become overcooked.
However, José Tomás Mesen, a cook and founder of Legendary Food has shared there a really easy method to cook pasta perfectly and also cut down on the cooking time, as all you need to do is cook it in a frying pan instead of a traditional pot. José said: “I share it because anyone—foodie, busy parent, daft college student— that does not know this method ought to. Because, without exaggerating, it should be your go-to way of cooking your pasta.
“Either when you’re busy and have little time, or when your cooking abilities are null, or when you want something delicious and easy to make.”
Cooking pasta in a frying pan means less water is used, so it boils faster than if you used a pot.
Frying pans are more shallow and wider, which allows you to cook all the ingredients together, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavours for a much tastier dish.
As the pasta cooks, it releases starch, which helps thicken the sauce and makes it creamier without adding an excessive amount of fatty ingredients.
This is a simple cooking technique but helps you make a delicious pasta without much effort and also cooks everything in one pan, which will help you save on the washing up later.
How to cook pasta in frying pan
You will need:
- 150g of spaghetti
- 500g of cherry tomatoes
- 50g of fresh basil leaves
- 50g of green olives
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- One tablespoon of black pepper
- One teaspoon of sea salt
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
To begin, chop all the cherry tomatoes and olives into halves, then cut the basil leaves into strips.
Place the tomatoes, olive and basil into a wide frying pan. Also add the spaghetti, olive oil, sea salt, pepper and the grated parmesan cheese.
Add just enough water to cover the pasta. How much water you need will depend on the size of the pan, but do not worry if you add too much or to little as it can easily be fixed.
Put the pan on the stove on a high heat, then cook for 15 minutes while stirring occasionally. Your simple yet incredibly flavourful pasta should be cooked to perfection when the time is up.
However, if the pasta still seems hard then add a little more water and cook for a few more minutes. If the sauce seems too runny, then continue to cook on a high heat until more of the water has evaporated.