Limit pans with these two vegetarian pastas

CONCORD, N.H. -- The key to keeping midweek meals satisfying and stress-free is to limit your number of pans.

Sound obvious? Of course keeping dishes to a minimum means less cleanup, and less cleanup means less stress. But the fewer-pans principle also ensures ease of preparation and simplicity of ingredients, if not in kind at least in number.

I learned the one-pan plan during university, when cooking with any more would have meant washing the pile of dishes my roommates left in the sink.

Keeping one-dish dinners interesting, however, requires that they blend a variety of tastes and textures.

To that end I have been impressed by the results of several recipes I tested recently from Silvia Bianco's new book, "Simply Saute"

As the title suggests, Bianco offers a collection of dishes (some vegetarian, others easily made so) calling for simple preparations and straightforward ingredients -- and usually just one or two pans.

Tomatoes and arugula over angel hair pasta

1 pound angel hair pasta

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1/2 medium clove garlic, minced

12 plum tomatoes, cut in medium dice

3 to 4 tablespoons dry white wine

1/2 cup marinara or other pasta sauce

1/2 cup vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

7 to 8 arugula leaves, cut into slivers

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over a high flame.

While the water heats, combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic in a large skillet over a medium flame. Heat for 30 seconds, or until the garlic just begins to brown.

Add the tomatoes to the garlic and cook for 30 second, or until they just begin to soften. Add the wine and cook an additional minute. Add the marinara sauce and broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute.

While the sauce heats, cook the pasta according to package directions, usually 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, toss the pasta in a large bowl with about half of the tomato sauce. Divide the pasta among individual serving plates. Top each serving with additional sauce, cheese and arugula leaves.

Lowfat ricotta and basil over penne marinara

1 pound penne pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1/2 medium clove garlic, minced

2 cups marinara or other pasta sauce

1/4 cup vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

16-ounce container lowfat ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, stems removed, chopped

4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, cut into slivers

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over a high flame. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, combine the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large skillet over a medium flame. Heat for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds, or until it just begins to brown.

Add the marinara sauce and broth and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the sauce begins to boil. Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, toss the pasta in a large bowl with about half of the sauce. Divide the pasta among individual serving plates and top with additional sauce, ricotta cheese, parsley and basil.