Meghan Markle one pot pasta

This viral one pot spaghetti recipe from the Netflix special with the Duchess of Sussex isn’t anything new. It is purely a simplification of ‘pasta risottata’ (cooked like a risotto for absorption of liquids and not boiled) and it definite has its value, with pros and cons.

I praise Megan for actually cooking fresh food at home and showing practical skills and knowledge that honestly I think the majority of people do not possess when cooking at home.

Is this this perfect? No. Can it be made technically better? Absolutely yes. But it is a great way to cook something fresh quickly that feed the whole family, packs nutrients and doesn’t mess to much your kitchen.

Megan, you did alright!

Here it’s how I made it with minors tweaks to the original.

Serves: 2 // Prep and cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 240 gr of quality dried spaghetti (artisan spaghetti have more starch)

• 220 gr of cherry tomatoes

• 200 gr of swiss chard

• 1 tsp of dried chilli

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 1 tsp of dried oregano (optional)

• About 750 ml of water

• 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

• 30 gr of grated Grana Padano cheese

• 1 lemon and 1 orange zest

• Salt to taste

Personal notes/ Chef’s tips: Don’t add all the water in one go as Megan did. Know your pasta, it might need less/more. Add as it is absorbed as if it was a risotto. Don’t add the the zests at the beginning, you’ll lose freshness and they could add bitterness. Fry the garlic and tomatoes before adding the spaghetti and water, that is what gives a backbone to the flavour.

Method:

Rinse and slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

Rinse and divide the chard leaves from the steam. Chop the stem finely and cut the leaves roughly.

Fry the garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes until golden on medium heat. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and let them cook for 2 minutes.

Now add the spaghetti, add enough water to cover them and top with the swiss chard stem. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 2/3 minutes on medium heat. Trust the process.

At this point, depending on the cooking time of your pasta, I want you to check and mix/toss your spaghetti every now and then. Don’t be aggressive or you’ll break them. The spaghetti will gradually soften and become more lose. Taste the spaghetti and add water as it evaporates to continue to cook it. Be mindful, do not submerge with a lot or water or you will compromise the final sauce.

When you are about 2 minutes away from the spaghetti to be fully cooked, stir in the chard leaves, a good pinch of salt and complete the cooking. Again, add water only if it dries up too much.

When you are happy with the texture of your pasta and you have what resemble a creamier sauce, remove from the stove.

Only at this stage, add the grated cheese (the direct heat can split the cheese and create lumps while gentle heat will melt the cheese nicely) and a good glug of extra virgin olive oil. Now with energy, mix and toss the spaghetti to help emulsify the sauce (fats and liquids emulsify when beaten, creating a sauce).

Plate the spaghetti straight away and garnish with fresh zest of lemon and orange (and more cheese).