SPAGHETTI WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND KALE
In this brilliant recipe, uncooked pasta and cherry tomatoes simmer together in a single pan, so a thick, starchy sauce forms as the pasta cooks. It’s the British cookbook author Anna Jones’ take on a technique “the internet went heart-eyed for,” as Tejal Rao wrote when bringing it to The Times, and you can see why. Its smart approach is endlessly adaptable: When you add the kale, you could also toss in a couple of anchovies and a generous pinch of red-pepper flakes. When you season and top with cheese, you could add a pile of fresh chopped herbs, like mint, basil or oregano.
RECIPE
Time: 20 minutes Yield: 4 servings
■ 1po und spaghetti
■ 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 pints)
■ 2 lemons, zested
■ 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
■ 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
■ 1 bunch kale or spinach, leaves only, washed and chopped
■ Black pepper
■ Parmesan, for serving
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. Bring just over a quart of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place spaghetti, tomatoes, lemon zest, oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large, dry, shallow pan. (The pan should be large enough that the dry spaghetti can lie flat.)
2. Carefully add the boiling water to the pan with the spaghetti. Cover pan, and bring up to a boil. Remove lid and simmer for about 6 minutes, using tongs to move the spaghetti around now and then so it doesn’t stick. Add kale or spinach and continue cooking until remaining liquid has reduced to a sauce and the pasta is cooked through. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and top with Parmesan.
TIPS
For a two-pot, non-vegetarian alternative, cook some coins of fresh Italian sausage while you make the pasta, and add them to the dish at the end. For a vegan version, whizz some roasted almonds in your food processor, and use them in place of the cheese.