This week, award-winning cookbook author Samin Nosrat shared a simplified yet delectable recipe for mac and cheese that promises to delight both children and adults alike. By investing a few extra minutes and utilizing fewer ingredients, home cooks can create a comforting dish that rivals the classic boxed version, reports BritPanorama.
Nosrat’s new cookbook, “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share With People You Love,” features this adaptation as part of her commitment to teaching accessible cooking. The creative inspiration stemmed from her earlier work, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” where she emphasized the foundational elements of cooking. In this latest release, she offers 125 new recipes, including her take on the beloved pasta dish.
“Think of this pasta as the elegantly understated aunt to a box of mac and cheese,” she noted, showcasing the versatility of the meal. The key lies in the combination of ricotta, Parmesan, and a small amount of starchy pasta water, which transforms the dish into a rich and luxurious experience, far from overly greasy or watery confections.
Nosrat explained that the pasta water serves a crucial function in thickening and emulsifying the cheese sauce, ensuring a silky consistency. The method simplifies the cooking process significantly, making it comparable in ease to preparing the boxed variety. She advises salting the cooking water generously, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
With variations possible, any type of short pasta works well, though shapes like penne rigate or rigatoni are particularly effective as they help trap the cheese and any additional ingredients. In her perspective, adding vegetables like peas or broccoli introduces both sweetness and nutrition, making the dish suitable for various tastes.
“Things like penne rigate, rigatoni or any short pasta with a hole in there for some of the cheese or the peas to fall in is amazing,” Nosrat stated, underlining the adaptability of the recipe. This versatility allows home cooks to personalize their meals based on available ingredients or preferences.
In concluding her insights, Nosrat advocates for home-cooked meals that bring joy and connection. As she summarized, the act of gathering around the table to share comforting food not only enhances the dining experience but also nurtures relationships. This mac and cheese recipe is positioned as a conduit for such togetherness, embodying the essence of her culinary philosophy.
Creamy one-pot pasta with ricotta and peas
Serves 4 to 6
Total cooking time: About 15 minutes
Ingredients
● Kosher salt
● 1 pound dried pasta (any shape is fine)
● 1 ½ cups shelled peas (fresh or frozen)
● 1 pound whole-milk ricotta, drained
● 1 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
● Freshly ground black pepper
● Large handful of basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it’s nearly al dente. One to three minutes before the pasta is done cooking according to the package instructions, add the peas to the water and cook until the pasta is al dente and the peas are barely cooked. Reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta and peas into a colander.
- To finish, return the empty pot to the stove. Add the ricotta and Parmesan. Stir to combine, then add the pasta and peas and stir vigorously to coat. Over low heat, add the cooking water a little at a time to thin the sauce as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then tear the basil leaves into the pasta and stir to bring everything together.
- Serve immediately with more Parmesan.
Recipe adapted from “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share With People You Love” by Samin Nosrat. Copyright © 2025 by Samin Nosrat. All rights reserved. Published by Penguin Random House. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
