Skillet Tagliatelle with Mozzarella

Long, thick strands of egg-based, tagliatelle pasta, cooked right in the skillet with EVERYBODY else. Each noodle surrenders itself to an herb-infused, zesty sauce and, once tender, the entire dish is blanketed with cheese. So, let's focus on the bullet points: You  need one pan. The pasta is cooked in the sauce so it absorbs all the flavor. The entire dish is smothered in cheese. Dinner is ready in less than 20 minutes. Did we check all the boxes?

For me - all boxes checked. I love when EASY meals taste like I worked all afternoon.

About the tomato sauce: Since the tomatoes are the base flavor here, I suggest you choose a brand you like. Or a good-quality variety that's also on sale (I love when that happens). I almost always choose tomato SAUCE, over pureed tomatoes, but the pureed variety would work equally well here. If you like a chunkier sauce, used diced tomatoes, or petite diced tomatoes. Seriously, this dish is completely foolproof, so you can use whatever you want/like. Also, since tomatoes are sold in cans and cartons, there's a slight difference in volume (28 ounces and 33.5 ounces). BOTH work here. It's a subtle difference in volume, and you really can't tell the difference in the end.

And, I suppose I should throw an apology out - up to the heavens. Sorry Nanny (my Italian grandmother). You would likely hate this sauce (called gravy by the Italian side of my family). Actually, there's a really good chance you wouldn't even call it a sauce. Please know (this is for my Nanny) that we all appreciated you and those nights/mornings when you got up at 2 AM to start the Sunday sauce. When we sat down for Sunday dinner at 2 PM (lol), we KNEW your heart and soul was in every morsel. Let's face it, sauce that simmers over low heat, with all those lovingly chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes, and herbs tastes just like you think it would - lovingly made. I still wonder when she slept...

Anyway, if you have an Italian family member that sticks to the old traditions, you get it. And if you have the time, go for it.

BUT, if you're looking for a "quicker way to get there", you need to try this dish. I would even encourage you to serve it to your Italian grandmother. Would it pass the test? I admit, my Nanny's sauce was amazing. Hard to replicate (especially because nothing was ever written down). But she never cooked the pasta IN the sauce. Is this one notch higher? You be the judge.

Skillet Tagliatelle with Mozzarella

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots or white onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
28-34 ounces tomato sauce (see note above)
2 cups water
1 pound tagliatelle pasta, or any long noodle of choice (including spaghetti, linguine and fettuccine)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until soft, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the oregano and basil and cook for 30 seconds (this releases the oils from the dried herbs). Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and press the noodles down into the sauce. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. As the liquid reduces, you might need to gradually reduce the temperature to keep the sauce just simmering. And, cooking time will vary based on the type of pasta you use so read the package label to get a rough estimate. If you run out of liquid before the pasta is completely tender, add a little more water as needed.
When the noodles are tender, top the pasta with the cheese and remove the pan from the heat. Let sit for 1 minute to allow the cheese to melt. Top with crushed red pepper flakes and serve with grated parmesan cheese on the side.

Serves 4