Lidia's a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl

INTRODUCTION

Sometimes, you just want to cook something that doesn’t leave you with a pile of dishes. That’s why one-or-two-pot, -pan, or -bowl cooking just makes sense to me. Whether they require a Dutch oven, a sheet pan, or a pot for pasta, these dishes are no-brainers. Some people think of “one-pot cooking” as a term that applies only to dishes cooked in a single vessel, but I take a more expansive view: you may need an extra bowl or plate along the way. But rest assured, the recipes in this book are some of my absolute favorites, streamlined to be as straightforward to cook as possible, using a minimal number of pots and pans, without sacrificing any flavor. These are classic Italian dishes, like Summer Tomato and Basil Risotto with Mozzarella, Balsamic Chicken Stir-Fry, Matalotta-Style Mixed Fish Stew, Skillet Gratinate of Chicken, Mushrooms, and Tomato, and Skillet Gratinate of Pork, Eggplant, and Zucchini, adapted for fuss-free cooking.

For me as a chef, creating simple, minimally messy dishes is a creative challenge I enjoy. I feel like a composer, composing a symphony; cooking this way affords me a wonderful opportunity to think about layering flavors. I begin by choosing ingredients that I think will harmonize when cooked together. Then I also need to think about timing—the most important element of cooking with just one pot, pan, or bowl—and when to add each ingredient. How long should the ingredients cook together? How will the textures of each contribute to the dish at the finish?

In many ways, making a one-or-two-pot meal is cooking at its basic level, but also at its most diverse. Some dishes take time—like soups, braising tougher cuts of meat, or cooking root vegetables—but there are many quick one-pot dishes that are just as delicious and that can be prepared much faster. These recipes also tend to be balanced, incorporating vegetables, legumes, and meat, making the meal healthier. And, of course, it is convenient—there’s much less to wash up!

The recipes in this book are simple but delicious, and almost all of them can be served either as a one-course meal, or as part of a multicourse affair.

Take, for example, the chapter of egg recipes. Each one of those dishes, when paired with a tossed green salad, would make for a delicious brunch, especially the Sweet Potato and Ham Frittata and Spinach, Bread, and Ricotta Frittata, or the Spinach and Fontina Casserole. Or stuff a toasted hero with one of the frittatas and you have a great picnic or a meal for a day at the beach with the kids. In the salad chapter, you’ll find many recipes that can double as an appetizer, like the “Antipasto” Rice Salad; Shaved Artichoke, Spinach, and Mortadella Salad; or Crab and Celery Root Salad. A salad like Summer Panzanella or Winter Panzanella can serve as a side dish to grilled or roasted meats, like London Broil with Peppers and Onion or Skillet Ricotta Mini–Meat Loaves; or fish dishes like the Mixed Seafood Bake. Certainly, most of these salads can be turned into main dishes, just by increasing the portion sizes.

Pasta and rice dishes—or primi, as they are called in Italy—can be the center of the meal all by themselves, like the Skillet Lasagna, No-Boil Stuffed Shells, or Mushroom and Sausage Risotto, or, for a warm-weather version, perhaps a summer meal by the pool, I like the Mezzi Rigatoni with Raw Tomato Sauce. Pasta as a primo can be just that, a first course or an appetizer. In Italy, two or three forkfuls of pasta before a main course is quite customary.

When it comes to the fish and meat recipes, remember you can make these dishes even more substantial by adding beans, like in Monkfish Brodetto with Cannellini and Halibut with Saffron Fregola. Recipes like Skillet Chicken Thighs with Cerignola Olives and Potatoes, Chicken Cacciatore, and Skillet Sausages with Fennel and Apples are a meal in themselves. You might also consider serving some of the fish dishes shared as an appetizer when you are planning a two-course meal—for example, the Seared Tuna with Balsamic Onions and Arugula-and-Fennel Salad, or Grilled Calamari Salad.

All of which is to say that one-pot, one-pan, and one-bowl meals are just as substantial— and just as varied—as those cooked with a whole kitchen’s worth of cooking vessels. These recipes are perfect for a weeknight dinner with your family, but for more elaborate occasions, such as when you have guests, I like to enhance them with a good selection of breads to begin, from buttery brioche, crunchy baguettes, and semolina bread to deep and dark pumpernickel or twelve-grain breads. The addition of grissini, taralli, or crostini always embellishes a bread basket. At either the beginning or the end of a meal, a board of cheeses, such as Taleggio, Toma, Caprino, Gorgonzola, or Grana Padano with some delicious Mostarda is always welcome. Especially if you add some ripe seasonal fruit and some toasted almonds and hazelnuts. And, of course, some good Italian cookies and an espresso at the end of a meal never fail to draw applause for the chef.

Finally, it is impossible to talk about one-pot cooking—or any kind of low-fuss cooking— without mentioning the Instant Pot. The electric pressure cooker is a relatively new piece of kitchen equipment that many home cooks have fallen in love with. It’s certainly a time saver, and I’m often asked how my recipes will translate when it’s used. Many of the dishes in this book will work well—especially Vegetable Soup with Poached Eggs; Lentil and Pasta Soup; Stracciatella with Chicken and Vegetables; Turkey, Mushroom, Chestnut, and Barley Soup; Shrimp, Swiss Chard, and Potato Chowder; Poached Chicken and Giardiniera Salad; Boiled Beef Salad; Chicken and Rice; Poached Chicken and Vegetables in Broth with Green Sauce; Chicken Cacciatore; Lamb and Winter Squash Stew; BeerBraised Beef Short Ribs; and Pork Guazzetto with Beans. You just need to be willing to experiment—and to remember a few things:

• Since I like to cook with leftovers in mind, the largest electric pressure cooker, about an eight-quart size, is best for preparing my recipes.

• Braises are wonderful in the pressure cooker, because it takes the fattier cuts of meat and cooks them under pressure until they are tender and flavorful, in half the time (or less!) of a stovetop or oven braise. Some soups will work well also, though many of my soup recipes will have to be scaled down to fit, and you will need to use less liquid (see the next point), since there is no evaporation. Beans are also wonderful in the electric pressure cooker: they turn out very silky in a short amount of time.

• When adapting one of my recipes, remember not to fill the pot more than two-thirds full. Since you are cooking with the lid on and under pressure, you will need less liquid to begin with. I’d start with half the liquid called for in the recipe as a rule of thumb, but you do need at least a cup of liquid to get to pressure reliably. If using the pressure cooker’s natural release, cut the cooking time of the recipe by 15 minutes since food will continue to cook.

• Most of my recipes will work just fine when adapted for the electric pressure cooker. Just leave the pressure switch in the sealed position, as this lets the pressure release slowly. When the pressure is fully released the lid will unlock and open, using natural release, so you don’t need to worry about overcooking.

• Many of my braise recipes require adding ingredients in stages, starting with the proteins and harder vegetables and adding the quicker-cooking ones later on. You can still do this in the electric pressure cooker. You can cook the protein till it’s almost ready, release the pressure, add the quicker-cooking ingredients, and return it to pressure for a short time, or you can just bring the liquid to a simmer, uncovered, on the “sauté” setting and finish that way.

• If your finished dish is more watery than you would like, you can also reduce the cooking juices down on the high “sauté” setting. You can also bring it to a simmer and add a tablespoon or two of flour mixed with enough water so you can drizzle it into the pot, though make sure to simmer it for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.

• For dishes with dairy elements—for example, grated cheese—always add them at the end, just as I do in my regular recipes.

One important thing to remember about one-pot and -pan cooking is not to fret about what you will cook in or about whether you have the right vessel or not. Something you already have at home will most likely work. Read the instructions on the cooking vessel recommended in the recipe, and choose something as close as possible to what is recommended.

Whether you are cooking in an Instant Pot or a Dutch oven, or on a baking sheet; for dinner with your kids on a Tuesday or a party with friends—always keep cooking fun, welcoming, and delicious, and an expression of your love and affection for the people around your table.