In search of THE pan ... Skillet Pasta ... Rice

Dear Lynne: I am a pretty good home cook and I love all my tools and gadgets, but I haven't found THE pan yet. Can you give a specific recommendation for a straight-sided 12-inch saute pan? This is the one you say you use all the time. I would be very grateful. -- PaigeDear Paige: THE pan you are talking about is my 6-quart, 12-inch straight-sided saute pan by All-Clad. I do everything with it, from using it for sauces, stews, braises and sautes, to pan-frying and poaching, to service as a roasting pan/casserole in the oven.It comes from the Master Chef 2 line and has a lid along with one long handle and a loop handle opposite. Since nothing is perfect, let me tell you why I use it all the time and what I would change if I could.All-Clad's layering of thick aluminum on the bottom and up the sides of pans and the stainless-steel interior make for even heat and no reactions to foods. Handles are riveted to the pot so there is no wobbling.Those positives make up for their main flaw, which is the poor handle design, especially in saute pans where the narrow handle twists in your hand. Use a slip-on handle grip that won't shift, and always lift this big pan with one hand on the long handle and one on the handle opposite.All-Clad makes several lines. They all handle heat the same way; the differences are cosmetic, which is why I favor Master Chef 2. It is All-Clad's lowest-priced line and I like its restaurant look. Here is an example of the dishes we use this pan for.SKILLET PASTA OF WINE-BRAISED SAUSAGE AND FRESH TOMATOESServes 4 as a main dish.A skillet supper with bright plays between fast-sauteed little tomatoes that are all tang and sweet and a mellowed-out wine braise of Italian sausage.Make the sauce at the last minute or a couple of days before serving. Cook up the bold hollow pasta at the last minute and toss in the skillet. You could even do that ahead and turn it into a casserole. Leave the dish in the pan, top it with mozzarella and bake to hot and bubbling in a 350-degree oven.Sausage:Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil4 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pound), pierced all over3/4 cup dry white or red wineSauce:Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil1 medium onion cut into 1/4-inch diceSalt and freshly ground black pepper2 pounds (2 pints) grape tomatoes, lightly crushed1 generous tablespoon dry basilGrated zest of 1/2 a small orangeGenerous pinch hot red pepper flakesPasta:5 quarts of boiling salted water in a 6-quart pot1 pound small to medium short, hollow pasta10 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small diceLightly film the bottom of a straight-sided 12-inch saute pan with olive oil. Set over medium-high heat. Quickly prick the sausages all over. Set them in the pan and brown on all sides. Add the wine, cover the pan and turn heat to medium-low. Cook 10 minutes. Remove sausages from the pan, boil down the wine until syrupy and pour over the sausages. Rinse the pan and dry it. When cool, cut sausages into small bite-sized pieces.Make the sauce by filming the pan again with oil and heating it over medium-high. Drop in onion, and salt and pepper. Saute uncovered. When onion begins to color, add the tomatoes, basil, zest and hot pepper. Cook, uncovered, over high heat, stirring occasionally, until thick (3 to 5 minutes). Add the sausages and all their pan juices. Cook a minute, cover and turn off the heat.Boil the pasta until it just has a little bite left. Drain, then add it to the sauce and toss as you heat the pan over medium-high. Once hot, pull off the heat and toss in the mozzarella. Serve hot.Dear Lynne: How can I do different kinds of rice meals to mix with meat? We are stretching the dollar here. -- Bob in San JoseDear Bob: Instead of trying to put square pegs into round holes by converting non-rice dishes, check out cuisines where people cook like this all the time.Look at recipes from India, Iran, Spain, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia and China. Every one of those cultures possesses a wonderful variety of dishes where rice is the main ingredient and meat is the seasoning or the condiment. Also, it's a way to start bringing other cultures into the family.(Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table," American Public Media's weekly national radio show for people who love eat, and is the co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions." Ask questions and find Lynne, recipes and station listings at www.splendidtable.org or 800-537-5252.)