One and done: Easy single-pan cooking and baking

Oct. 24—One singular sensation — that's what a single skillet or baking pan can be.

So three new cookbooks are ready to demonstrate how easily you can prepare dinner, dessert, treats, breakfast, brunch, and all sorts of other dishes using just one baking sheet or tin, or just one skillet or saucepan. They offer less muss, less fuss, but still lots of flavor.

And certainly, using one pan means having fewer dishes to wash — an added bonus, right?

One Pan, One Meal by Elena Silcock: "I don't want to be stressed," writes Elena Silcock, when cooking.

So her philosophy is to "use minimal tools and dishes [and] to serve straight out of the pan at the table." (She also thinks that those who don't cook should handle clean-up, a rule with which we wholeheartedly agree.)

That chosen cooking-and-serving pan is either a large non-stick, high-sided frying pan or a large casserole dish, both with lids. Ms. Silcock doesn't want a lot of clutter, and these two multi-purpose vessels take up minimal space but have maximal potential.

The recipes in her book are simple to prepare with everyday ingredients, but many also offer some international (North African, Thai, Vietnamese, Sichuan, and Italian) flair. Smoky Squash Soup with Roasted Almonds, Miso Salmon and Sesame Greens, Crab and Rosé Spaghetti, and a Bloody Mary Risotto are just a few of the options.

Some unexpected dishes include Frying Pan Granola, Lamb Flatbread Pizza, and the appropriately-named Spinach Lasagne (Sorta), which is a deconstructed version of the classic. There's even an All-In-One Spaghetti and Meatballs, rather than a two- or three-dish version.

And don't forget the sweets, such as Chocolate Lava French Toast, a PB&J Crumble, and Key Lime Pie-Ish, a pudding.

One Tin Bakes Easy: Foolproof One-Bowl Cakes, Traybakes, Bars and Bits from Gluten-Free to Vegan and Beyond by Edd Kimber: During the pandemic, writes Edd Kimber, "I wanted instant gratification. I craved easy baking."

Self-isolating at home offered him the opportunity to try out new recipes. And all you need to prepare them is one "good-quality aluminum tin, a classic bakeware choice that will happily stand the test of time." Everything in the book is made in a 9- by 13-inch pan that's at least 2 inches deep.

Recipes include familiar favorites (Devil's Food Sheet Cake, Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Maple Butter Glaze, Simple Pound Cake) as well as new spins on classics: a single-layer Victoria Sponge topped with jam and cream, rather than the traditional filled layered cake, and a Grapefruit Poppy Seed Snack Cake instead of the expected lemon.

Beloved combinations like peanut butter and jelly, chocolate and hazelnut, and lemon and raspberry are all included, along with contemporary flavors in Miso and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, Tahini Brownies, Speculoos Crunch Bars, and Salted Pistachio and Rose Brittle.

You can also use that 9- by 13-inch pan to make baklava, biscotti, layered desserts, cookies to enclose ice cream sandwiches, and even a self-saucing pudding cake. And don't forget the Lazy Pie, which uses purchased puff pastry, as well as gluten-free and vegan items that everyone can enjoy.

Sheet Cake: Easy One-Pan Recipes for Every Day and Every Occasion by Abigail Johnson Dodge: The one pan that stars in this book is a half-sheet pan, which is "the only pan you need to create fun and festive cakes," Ms. Dodge writes.

Classic sheet cakes, stacked layer cakes, and even filled-and-rolled cakes can all be made using that 13- by 18- by 1-inch pan. So no matter what the occasion (or even "just because"), this book offers a tempting treat.

Double Chocolate Mousse Cake, Fluffernutter Cake, Tiramisu Cake, Boston Cream Cake, and a Pretzel-Crusted Caramel-Vanilla Cheesecake are just a few of the indulgences. Lighter fare includes Chai Mango Cake, a simple cinnamon-topped Crumb Cake, and a towering Ginger-Apricot Angel Food Cake.

"All you need is a sheet pan and a sweet tooth," is the tagline on this book.

With 50 recipes to choose from, it will be harder to pick one than to actually make it.

Sausage and Broccoli Gnocchi

"If you want to make a veggie/vegan version of this dish, you can use veggie mince [crumbles], or skip this element altogether," writes Elena Silcock.

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 sausages, or 8 ounces ground pork

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 head of broccoli, broken into florets

Small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 16-ounce package gnocchi

1 garlic clove, grated

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Grated parmesan cheese

Toasted pine nuts

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Squeeze the meat out of the sausages directly into the pan or, if using ground pork, add it to the pan. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, then add the fennel seeds and fry for 2 minutes further until the meat is browned.

Meanwhile, add the broccoli and most of the parsley to a food processor and pulse a couple of times. You want the broccoli to be roughly chopped, but not blitzed.

Once the meat has browned, add the gnocchi and 2 1/2 ounces water to the pan. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the water has evaporated. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and toss everything together well. Fry for a couple of minutes; you want the gnocchi to get a little crispy. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute more.

Tip the broccoli and parsley mixture into the pan and toss again. Stir through the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the broccoli is cooked through.

Serve in bowls, topped with a generous grating of parmesan, a scattering of pine nuts, and the remaining parsley.

Yield: Serves 2

Source: Adapted from Elena Silcock, One Pan, One Meal

"I am a big fan of a brunch dish that can be whipped up quickly and still serve a crowd," writes Edd Kimber. "This fluffy American-style pancake is great when you want something delicious for brunch but can't muster the energy to make anything more involved."

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing

1 1/3 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries

To serve:

Butter

Maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease your 9- by 13-inch baking tin and line the base with parchment paper.

Place the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla extract, whisking to form a smooth batter. Pour it into the prepared tin and spread evenly, then sprinkle over the blueberries.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve while still warm from the oven. Cut into slices and serve with maple syrup and butter.

The pancake is best served on the day it is made.

Yield: Serves 8

Source: Edd Kimber, One Tin Bakes Easy

Image Description A sugar-sprinkled Chocolate Chip Cake, from Abigail Johnson Dodge's 'Sheet Cake: Easy One-Pan Recipes for Every Day and Every Occasion.' THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER

The texture of this "charming" cake, writes Abigail Johnson Dodge, "is light and the flavor is deeply vanilla, while the mini chips offer the perfect burst of chocolate flavor."

Topping:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon water

Cake:

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons table salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons neutral oil

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate or mini chips

Make the topping: Combine the sugar and water in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is evenly moistened and forms small clumps.

Make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 13- by 18- by 1-inch half-sheet pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and oil on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed until fluffy and lighter in color, 2 to 3 more minutes.

Add 3 of the eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add the vanilla along with the remaining egg.

Add the flour mixture and the milk, alternating them, starting and ending with flour. After each addition, mix on low speed until just blended, about 30 seconds.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and, using an offset spatula, spread it evenly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan.

Yield: Serves 16 to 24, depending on portion size

Source: Adapted from Abigail Johnson Dodge, Sheet Cake