What’s not to like about pasta that can be made in a single pot? You don’t have to worry about washing the different utensils you used to boil the pasta, drain it and then cook it. When I came across pinterest feed mentioning single pot pasta, I was obviously intrigued and was curious to try it out. I was not too sure of the pasta cooking well in a sauce. And since the theme for the month was lemons, I definitely wanted to make it a Lemon Pasta. Oh boy! I was so delighted with the results.

If you ask me what’s the flip side of cooking pasta in sauce, the only thing I can think of is that the sauce tends to thicken more than usual due to the starch from the pasta. When we boil pasta separately and add it to a pasta sauce, all excess starch is drained off. Here, that doesn’t happen. But then the pasta is so well coated with the sauce that you really don’t care about the rest. And eat it while it’s hot and I am sure you will love it!

I tried this recipe replacing the mushrooms with chicken too and it was a hit. So feel free to do that or may be add a little of both.

Few things to keep in mind

• Vegetable Broth/Stock: I have used homemade vegetable broth for this recipe. But you can use store bought vegetable stock cubes too. But in that case, do remember to adjust the salt you add in the pasta as those cubes will contain salt too. To make vegetable stock at home, refer to this recipe.
• Pasta: I have used spaghetti for this recipe. But I am sure it will taste awesome with any other variety of pasta too.
• Cheese: I have used Mozzarella cheese for this pasta. But you can use any other processed cheese too.

Recipe

Ingredient List

• Mushrooms – 200 gms, quartered
• Butter – 2-3 tbsp
• Onion – 1 medium size, sliced thin
• Garlic – 3-4 cloves, chopped fine
• Flour – 1 tbsp
• Vegetable Broth – 2 cups (Check for the recipe here)
• Milk – 1 cup
• Peas – 1/2 cup, boiled
• Spaghetti – 250 gms
• Basil Leaves – a few, chopped
• Milk – 1/2 cup (heated with 1/2 cup of water)
• Fresh Cream – 1 cup
• Lemon Zest – from 1/2 lemon
• Lemon Juice – 2 tsp
• Grated Mozarella Cheese – about 40-50 gms

Step by Step Process

1. In a pan, heat half the butter and add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms on high heat till they are slightly caramelized. Take it off from heat and keep it aside.
2. Into the same pan, add the remaining butter and the garlic. Saute it till the garlic changes color and is fragrant.
3. Add the onion to this and cook till golden brown. If needed, more butter can be added at this stage.
4. Add the flour to this and let it cook a little.
5. To this, add the vegetable broth and milk along with half the cream and a few basil leaves and let it come to a single boil.
6. Add the pasta at this stage and let it boil slowly on a low heat. Cover and cook till the pasta is almost cooked.
7. Add the 1/2 cup of hot milk with water at this stage along with the mushrooms and peas and let it again come to a boil.
8. Cover and cook for another 5 min.
9. The pasta should be cooked by now.
10. Add the remaining cream and let it come to a boil.
11. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, few more of the basil leaves and half the grated cheese and mix well. Turn off the heat.
12. Serve hot with the remaining grated cheese sprinkled on top.