Ravioli Lasagna Recipe
/Ravioli Lasagna recipe - an easy and delicious family dinner recipe.
Read MoreRavioli Lasagna recipe - an easy and delicious family dinner recipe.
Read MoreEasy homemade mac and cheese recipe that cooks in one pot in 15 minutes from start to finish.
Read MoreWe've always been told that pasta had to be cooked in a big pot with lots of water, and we never really questioned it. Until now.
I have seen mentions of this alternative method of cooking pasta here and there, and figured I had better give it a try.
The basic idea is that instead of using a bunch of extra water in a huge pot, you cook your pasta in a smaller pan with just enough water to get it cooked through - no excess. The starchiness in the water is not a problem, because that extra starch is part of what contributes to an extra creamy sauce that will really stick to your noodles. Restaurant chefs have known about that trick for a long time - they always add a ladle of pasta water to their sauce.
The butter might not be necessary in a non-stick pan, but I am using a cast iron pan so I always like to have a little oil in there.
The quantity of water will vary depending on your type of pasta and your desired end result. Here is used a very thin angel hair pasta and I just was serving it buttered, so I used only 4 cups. But for thicker pasta like penne you will need more water - so go up to 5 cups. If you are making a sauce then you will want to have a little water left in your pan after the pasta is fully cooked, to help blend in the sauce, so go up to 6 cups.
So - 4 cups for thin pasta, no sauce. 6 cups for thick pasta with sauce. Or adjust in between to suit your needs. As with everything, I think it's a bit of trial and error. If your water is all absorbed but your pasta is not yet fully cooked, then add a bit more hot water.
Place everything in a pan just big enough to contain it all and wide enough that the pasta can be fully submerged in the water.
Turn on the heat and bring up to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to ensure the pasta doesn't stick together, until the pasta is cooked to your liking.
It will take about 10- 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.
And that's it! Perfectly cooked pasta in less time than it would take to even get a pot of water boiling.
Once it's done you can serve as is, or add your sauce. My kids are picky about sauce, some like it and some don't, so I tend to serve the sauce on the side. But you could just add a little cream and some herbs and parmesan cheese to this for a super quick and simple weeknight pasta dish, or toss in a jar of your favorite tomato sauce.
School lunch packing ideas and healthy family meals.
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I’m a busy mom to two sets of twins. I’m here to share how I make meal time work for our family, along with other tips and updates about daily life in our family.
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Hi I’m Lisa Marsh. I’m a busy mom of two sets of twins. I am originally from Southern California, and then lived in Seattle for over 20 years, and now have recently moved back to the Sierra foothills of California.
I spent 20+ years in the corporate world, managing advertising and marketing for a large tech company. After I had all four of my babies (in less than three years!) I decided to leave behind the corporate life to stay home with my kids. I’ve been blogging and sharing the food I make for my family since the early days of blogs and social media. I love sharing the real food I make for my busy family.
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