This one pan pasta dinner is a recipe that I saw on the Netflix series, “With Love Meghan,” starring Meghan Markle (The duchess of Sussex). I have seen so much controversy over this dish because she cooked the pasta all in the same pan as the sauce.
But I was very intrigued to try it, because not only did it look easy, but the ingredients were healthy AND she talked about the pasta being creamy (without using cream). When I am in NY, as opposed to when I am at my home in Italy, I can’t eat cream. It makes me sick. So the fact that this could be creamy without heavy cream made me want to make it.
And honestly, this recipe was delicious and took less than 20 minutes to prepare. I just want to point out that quality ingredients are necessary in dishes like this. Make sure your veggies are ripe, your olive oil is top quality (I use the olive oil from my Tuscan home) and use real grating cheese. I love Pecorino Romano, but you can use Parmigiano Reggiano.
Full recipe below!
Ingredients
(Serves 2)
1 Pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, I used red and yellow. Slice in half
2 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
⅛, tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (Not shown in video but I added it later)
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 ¼ tsp. Salt
½ lb. Spaghetti
1 Lemon, zested
3 Cups Hot Water
3 oz. Fresh Kale
3 oz. Swiss Chard
½ Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano
Method
Boil a small pot of water. At least 4 cups.
Then, Place a large frying pan on the stove and turn the temperature to low/medium to get the pan hot. To the pan add in the tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, spaghetti and lemon zest.
Pour 3 cups of water over the spaghetti and cover with a lid.
Raise the temperature slightly. After 3 minutes open the lid and give the pasta a turn, making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan.
Be sure to keep checking the pasta. At the 5 minute mark, add in the kale and chard.
Cover and be sure to keep checking and turning.
Once the pasta I cooked through (probably around the 7 to 8 minute mark) add in the grated Pecorino and serve.