I’m not exaggerating when I say that the cooking technique I’m about to show you has revolutionized the way we cook pasta.

Up until a few weeks ago, whenever we made pasta it was pretty much a three-step process: Make the sauce, cook and drain the pasta, then toss everything together.

Now, we achieve the same results in just one step. No need to cook the pasta separately in lots of boiling water; no need to cook a separate sauce; and no need to drain the pasta and toss with the sauce.

So, how does it work? Quite simply, everything is cooked together in one pot. As the pasta cooks, it absorbs the flavor of the liquid and releases starch which thickens the liquid and creates the lusciousness of a long-simmered pasta sauce without the time or hassle.

We’ve found that the secret for best results is to keep the lid on the pot. This combination of simmering and steaming cooks the pasta perfectly, and thoroughly infuses it with the flavor of the sauce. (Cooking pasta this way also requires only 2½ cups of water per half pound of pasta — which is considerably less than the amount of water required if the pasta was cooked separately.)

And this pasta dish really is self-saucing. In fact the sauce clings to the pasta like a magnet! All that’s required is literally one stir halfway through cooking, simply to make sure no pasta is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

What we love about this method of cooking pasta is that it saves us time and energy, it means we use less electricity, less water, and have less dishes to wash. But what we love most is that there are no flavor compromises. Honestly, pasta cooked this way has to be tasted to be believed.

Here’s a recipe for Tuna, Zucchini and Olive Pasta cooked using this one pot method. The recipe also shows you how to easily use this method to make six other pasta dishes:

• Chicken, Olive and Red Pepper Pasta
• Lentil Mushroom Bolognese
• Antipasto Pasta
• Pasta Primavera
• Pasta Puttanesca
• Chili Shrimp Pasta

Enjoy!