Simply pasta: Singular one-pot Italian dishes

At least once a week, someone in our household puts a small Dutch oven on the stove and covers the bottom with a heap of lentils. We go through this exercise so often that the steps — simmering aromatics and oil in a simple broth, adding pasta to cook until it just yields to the teeth — have become methodical. It’s a soup, but only barely a soup: The pasta wears the broth like a sauce. By the time we ladle it into bowls, we are already grateful.

We are also late to the party. This understated combination of pasta and lentils, or pasta e lenticchie, has been a staple of kitchens throughout Italy for centuries, prepared in variation according to regional and personal tendencies. It is part of a vast repertoire of thick, hearty, pasta-based minestre, or soups, in which legumes (chickpeas, favas, cannellini, lentils and borlotti are among the most common) and other starchy vegetables (potatoes, winter squash) figure prominently.

“If you mention pasta e patate to an Italian, any Italian, it’s like Proust and his madeleines,” said Maureen Fant, co-author with Oretta Zanini de Vita of “Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way” (W.W. Norton, 2013).

The English translation for minestra is imperfect. In “Sauces & Shapes,” Fant writes, “The line between pastasciutta, pasta dressed with a sauce, and zuppa or minestra, soup, is not straight. Sometimes a cup or two of water, added or boiled away, is all it takes to turn one into the other.”

A minestra may be soupy, thick or nearly dry, but it will always be served with a spoon, Fant said. Minestre also typically feature pasta, potatoes or rice, whereas zuppe generally incorporate bread.

What endears me to these dishes (beyond how easily they come together, and how little cookware they leave behind) is the dimension they create as they cook, the way the main ingredients are both here (in tender, sometimes broken-down bits) and there, creating the very foundation for everything else in the bowl.

But second, they are a delicious illustration of how the starch from grains or vegetables can be harnessed to create a fullness of texture and flavor in plant-based dishes, particularly soupy or brothy ones. This might be a little rice or cornmeal, a few potatoes or stale bread. It might, in some pasta preparations, be the starch-thickened water left after the pasta has finished boiling, ladled out in the final moments to add body to a simple sauce. Here, because in many cases the pasta cooks in the soup itself, its starch thickens and enriches the broth, which, depending on the amount of water and the other ingredients, might take on a satiny gloss, or go very nearly creamy.

My go-to takes on these dishes are a kind of variation on a theme. There is my variation on pasta and lentils, seasoned modestly with a few aromatics added directly to the broth, including a late dash of crushed thyme. It is as simple as they come, and as soul-buffering. There is a version combining pasta and fagiolini dell’occhio, or black-eyed peas, begun with a saute of onion, black pepper and parsley stems, darkened with just enough tomato paste to press the other flavors forward, like an underline in felt-tip, or an exclamation point. And there is a deeply comforting creamy bowl of pasta, potatoes and cauliflower inspired by the classic pasta e patate, which, for Americans quick to balk at double-starch applications, is both a compromise and a gateway. It is also sure to provoke Italian traditionalists but is delicious nonetheless.

Each resonates with the tenor of its main ingredients. At the same time, the backdrop of uncomplicated flavors means that a single seasoning edit can invoke a dramatic change in tone. If you make a habit of these preparations, it can be a joy to revel in the shifts that happen by way of the tiniest adjustments — how fruity black pepper frames the lentils differently than earthy red chile, or the way different herbs (rosemary or parsley, say) buoy or deflect the sweetness of the black-eyed peas.

The liquid amounts called for reflect my own hunger tendencies, toward a dish only barely requiring a spoon, the soup clinging to the pasta like a coat. Consider them suggestions; if you prefer something truly soupy or, on the other end, that will hold a spoon upright, adjust to your liking.

All of these dishes wait (albeit not too long), something most pasta dishes never do, allowing a grace period for setting the table and calling everyone to dinner. They are better, in fact, for a few minutes in which to collect themselves, for their texture and flavors to settle. We could all use such grounding moments.

Pasta and Lentils (Pasta e Lenticchie)

4 servings (makes about 7 cups).

Although much of the appeal of this Italian dish is its simplicity, seasonal embellishments can be delicious, if untraditional. Consider adding pencil-thin asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, in spring, or a chopped ripe tomato in summer, added in the last few minutes of cooking. You can also vary the herbs. Because there are so few components, use the best-quality olive oil you can.

The dish — technically a thick soup — may be prepared as soupier than pictured; adjust the liquid to suit your taste. The recipe is also easily halved or quartered, although depending on the size of your pot, you may need to use more water.

MAKE AHEAD: This is best made right before serving, but leftovers may be reheated in a heavy pot over low heat or in a 350-degree oven in a covered casserole. The pasta will have absorbed most of the liquid, so add only enough water to make the dish a little soupy, taste again for seasoning, and stir periodically as it heats through.

Recipe from food writer Emily Horton.

1 cup dried brown lentils

6 cups water, or more as needed

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 small dried arbol chile pepper, broken into pieces, or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more as needed

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1½ teaspoons sea salt, or more as needed

12 ounces dried pasta, preferably a small shape such as gnocchette, ditalini, orecchiette or cavatelli; or break spaghetti into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Pour the lentils into a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven and add the water (to cover); bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover; stir in the garlic, chile de arbol pieces and the oil, then cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the salt and the pasta, cover and cook until al dente, stirring regularly to keep the pasta from sticking and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a minimum of bubbling. Depending on the pasta variety, the cooking time may take about 5 minutes longer than indicated on the package, so begin tasting the pasta once the suggested cooking time has elapsed. Continue tasting every minute or two until it is cooked through but still firm. The resulting dish should resemble a thick soup; if the mixture seems too dry, add a little water to reach the desired texture, keeping in mind the pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it cools.

Once the pasta is done, add the thyme. Taste and add more salt, as needed. Cover and let the mixture sit for 2 to 3 minutes, then uncover and drizzle with a little more oil just before serving, if desired.

Nutrition Per serving: 590 calories, 21 g protein, 92 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 810 mg sodium, 9 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

Pasta, Potatoes and Cauliflower

4 servings (makes about 6½ cups).

This pasta is a lighter take on a particular style of the classic pasta e patate — a dish of pasta with potatoes that appears in variations throughout Italy — in which the potatoes break down partially or completely into a creamy sauce. Here, cauliflower takes the place of some of the potatoes for a dish that is still hearty but not quite so rib-sticking.

The recipe is easily halved or quartered, although depending on the size of your pot, you may need to use more water proportionally.

MAKE AHEAD: This dish is best made right before serving, but leftovers may be reheated in a heavy pot over low heat or in a 350-degree oven in a covered casserole. The pasta will have absorbed most of the liquid, so add only enough water to make the dish a little soupy, taste again for seasoning, and stir periodically as it heats through.

Recipe from food writer Emily Horton.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more as needed

½ small head cauliflower, about 8 ounces, florets and stems cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)

8 ounces yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

5 cups water, plus more as needed

1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, or more as needed

12 ounces dried pasta, preferably a small shape such as gnocchette, ditalini, orecchiette or cavatelli

⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 15 to 20 sprigs)

Heat the oil in a large, heavy, wide-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is golden and fragrant but has not browned. Stir in the cauliflower and potatoes until evenly coated, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the water and salt; cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, so the cauliflower softens a bit.

Stir in the pasta; cook until al dente, stirring regularly to keep the pasta from sticking and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a minimum of bubbling. Depending on the pasta variety, the cooking time may take about 5 minutes longer than indicated on the package, so begin tasting the pasta once the suggested cooking time has elapsed. After about 10 minutes, the potatoes and the cauliflower should have begun to fall apart; use the back of a spoon to mash any large bits against the side of the pot to break them apart into the sauce. You can leave as much or little texture as you like.

The resulting dish should be thick; if the mixture seems too dry, add a little water to reach the desired texture, keeping in mind the pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it cools. Once the pasta is cooked through but still firm, add the parsley. Taste and add more salt and/or crushed red pepper flakes, as needed. Cover and let the pasta rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Per serving: 500 calories, 13 g protein, 75 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 820 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

Pasta and Black-Eyed Peas

4 servings (makes about 7 cups).

Black-eyed peas, as well as other types of cowpeas, are cooked throughout Italy. They may be prepared simply or combined with other vegetables, rice or pasta. Here, the pasta is added to the peas once they are tender, to cook in the same pot. Celery and parsley brighten the delicate, earthy flavor of the peas, but other herbs can be used instead, such as rosemary or marjoram.

The resulting dish may be prepared as soupier than what is pictured; adjust the liquid to suit your taste. The recipe is easily halved or quartered, although depending on the size of your pot, you may need to use more water.

MAKE AHEAD: The black-eyed peas need to soak for 4 to 8 hours.

Recipe from food writer Emily Horton.

8 ounces dried black-eyed peas

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed

10 large sprigs flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped and stems finely chopped (separately)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tomato paste

5 cups water, or more as needed

1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, or more as needed

12 ounces dried pasta, preferably a small shape such as gnocchette, ditalini, orecchiette or cavatelli)

¼ cup celery leaves, chopped

½ lemon, for serving (optional)

Pour the black-eyed peas into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water by 2 inches. Soak for 4 to 8 hours, then drain and rinse.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion; cook for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic, pepper and parsley stems; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste until evenly distributed. Add the drained black-eyed peas, stirring to incorporate.

Pour in the water, then cover, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, until the peas are barely tender.

Add the salt and the pasta, cover and cook until al dente, stirring regularly to keep the pasta from sticking and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a minimum of bubbling. Depending on the pasta variety, the cooking time may take about 5 minutes longer than indicated on the package, so begin tasting the pasta when the suggested cooking time has elapsed, and continue tasting every minute until it is cooked through but still firm.

The resulting dish should resemble a very thick soup, and the sauce should coat the pasta in a thick gloss. If the mixture seems too dry, add a little water to reach the desired texture, keeping in mind the pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it cools. Once the pasta is cooked through but still firm, add the celery and parsley leaves, taste for seasoning, cover and let the pasta rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

Just before serving, add a good squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.

Nutrition Per serving: 590 calories, 25 g protein, 103 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 920 mg sodium, 17 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar