If I ask you to use a separate bowl for the whipped Ricotta, is it still a one-pot recipe? Please forgive me! It’s worth it (I promise).

1. Whip ricotta: combine the Ricotta with parmesan, milk and a hand-held whisk. It will initially appear lumpy, but with vigorous whisking, the mixture will become creamy and soft, almost like whipped cream. Note for adjustment: Different brands of Ricotta will have different consistencys, so you may need to add extra milk.
2. Seal the chicken– Place the chicken in the pot and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. The surface should be sealed, but the interior should still be raw. Remove the chicken after it has been cooked. If it doesn’t brown, it’s fine; it still has flavour and will absorb more in the next step.
3. Saute (Leave residual fat in the pan) (some chicken oil, some sun-dried tomato oil). Sauté the onion and the garlic until they are translucent (about three minutes). After 1 minute, add the tomato paste and sun-dried tomato. The sun-dried tomato will bring out its flavours and the raw, sour taste of the tomato paste.
4. Liquids, raw pasta, and add wine to the pot and simmer it for about 1 – 2 mins until the liquid is mostly evaporated. Stir the bottom of the pot. This will remove the alcohol, making it suitable for children. It will also loosen any gold particles stuck to the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the raw pasta. Coat it well with all the flavours before adding the tomato sauce, stock and salt.
6. Cook. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high so that it simmers energetically without wildly boiling. Stir every 2 minutes for the first 5 minutes and then every minute in the last 5. This will prevent the liquid from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If it’s getting stuck on the pot, you may need to reduce the heat.
7. When to know it’s done – When the liquid is mostly absorbed, but the pasta still seems a bit too soupy. The pasta should be only ready. It’s al dente when the pasta is not too soft, but it doesn’t have any raw, uncooked pasta.
8. The pasta absorbs water at an alarmingly fast rate. A little too much liquid is a good thing. It means that the pasta will be perfectly saucy and slippery by the time it’s ready to eat.
9. Stir with whipped Ricotta – Just before serving, stir in the basil into the pasta. Then, either transfer the pasta to a large bowl or individual bowls. Dollop large scoops of Ricotta on top of the pasta and smear them randomly (or let the people do it themselves). You can do whatever you want! There are no rules! It’s now time to dig in.

Sneaking in extra vegetables

As a child, my mother brainwashed me, and I’ve been drilled into my mind that a meal is not complete without enough vegetables.

This recipe is short. Even with the canned tomatoes and onions, it’s only a little bit per person.

You can add extra vegetables to the onions by adding a few handfuls of baby greens or grated carrot and zucchini.

You can also make a simple side salad with broccoli or a leafy green salad. Toss it all together with a salad dressing. The pasta is a great choice—it’s juicier and has a bold flavour.