One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta

On the Today Show Chef Mark Bittman made this and it really is a really cool way to cook pasta - it was just as creamy and moist as he claimed it would be. I halved the recipe and it took about total of three 1/2 cup additions of hot water to cook in about 12 minutes. As you can see with second picture I dolloped more ricotta on top. Also I used frozen spinach that I thawed as that is what I had on hand.

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
• 1 small onion or large shallot, chopped
• 1 pound any pasta
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
• 3 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the pasta, raise the heat a bit, and cook, stirring constantly, until it's glossy and smells toasty, about a minute. Add a little salt and pepper, then the wine, and stir.
  2. Let the liquid bubble away. Begin to add water, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. When the liquid is just about absorbed, add more. The noodles should be neither soupy nor dry. Keep the heat at medium to medium-high, stir frequently, and repeat as necessary.
  3. Begin tasting the pasta 10 minutes after you added it. When the pasta is just getting tender but still is too firm to eat, add the spinach and ricotta. (It could take as long as 15 minutes to reach this stage.) When the pasta is ready and the spinach softens, stir in the remaining butter and the Parmesan, adding a little more water if necessary to coat the noodles in sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve right away, passing more Parmesan at the table.