Vanilla & Masala

This is the meal you need on a Monday morning when you scramble to rustle up something to pack for lunch. Or maybe even on a Friday evening as you unwind with a glass of wine watching your favorite crime thriller. But you must definitely make this on those work day evenings when the hunger pangs escalate so quickly that you think you will pass out even before you open the fridge door. I would advise you then to move past the temptation of ordering in and make this quick one pot Orecchiette. It took me precisely 11 minutes, 1 large skillet and a handful of ingredients to make this pasta meal – the time is subject to the cook time instructions on the pasta box for the perfect al dente texture.

So, next time you find yourself in a crunch, give this one-pot pasta a try. It’s easy, speedy, and oh-so-satisfying.

Ingredients + Recipe

• 1 white onion thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste (optional)
• 1+1/4 cup orecchiette or any (non-spaghetti) pasta shape of your choice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup baby spinach chopped
• 1/2 cup whole/sliced olives ( I used Manzanilla)
• 3 cups water
• Salt + pepper to taste
• Crumbled feta to finish

1. Heat the oil in a skillet.
2. Cook the onions and garlic till they caramelize.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook till just mushy. Season as you go.
4. Now add the raw pasta and stir well for just about a minute till everything is combined.
5. Add water and cook the pasta on high without a lid. Set a timer for about the time mentioned on the pasta box.
6. During the last 4 minutes of cooking time, cook on medium high with the lid on.
7. During the last minute if you think the pasta is still soupy, uncover and boil on high till you get the sauce-y consistency.
8. Turn off the stove and while the pasta is still hot, throw in the chopped spinach and olives and mix well.
9. Season again if required and top off with crumbled feta.

Fun fact: The pasta shape Orecchiette is named so because it resembles 👂 👂

Fun opinion: It feels like an act of culinary blasphemy when you cook pasta this way (not boiling separately).