10 Pasta Cooking tips to help you cook like a pro

Pasta, the very mention of the word triggers our tastebuds, doesn’t it? Pasta is Italy’s most enduring contribution to the culinary world. It is easily one of the most popular dishes in the world. Pasta may seem like an easy enough dish to prepare, however, it is highly technical. But we’ve got your back, as in this edition of Culinary Chronicles, we bring to you 10 tips to cook pasta like a pro.

Why Salting the Water is Crucial: A Pro Pasta Cooking Tip

There’s an old Italian proverb that says, “the water that the pasta is cooked in must taste of the sea.” This simply means that for every 500 grams of pasta, 1 tablespoon of salt is a must.

Choosing the Right Pasta Shape: A Tip from the Pros

When it comes to pasta, not all shapes are created equally. This means that while spaghetti is ideal for lighter sauces like tomato-based sauces and Aglio Olio, they are not suited for heavier sauces, made with cheese, cream, and/or meats and chunky vegetables. Pasta shapes like, Spiralli and Fettucine are ideal for dishes including fettuccine alfredo (a heavier cheese/cream-based sauce) and ragu. This is because the insides of these pasta shapes absorb the sauces better, giving you a better pasta to sauce ratio in every bite.

Bring the water to a boil before adding the pasta

Fact: Pastas are extremely starchy.

Fact: Starches absorb water immediately.

If the water temperature isn’t right you will end up with soggy pasta. In order to get the optimal temperature to cook your pasta, you need to bring the water to a quick boil, BEFORE you add the pasta to it.

Achieve Al Dente Perfection: Pro Pasta Cooking Tips

One of the cardinal rules of cooking pasta is to cook it al dente, or slightly firm to the teeth. This means slightly undercooking the pasta before adding it to the sauce. Remember that once the pasta is added to the sauce it will continue cooking and being slightly undercooked will result in better sauce absorption.

Start stirring the pasta as soon as you add it to the water

Pasta releases most of its starch during the first few minutes of cooking. This means that the individual pasta will begin to stick almost instantly and become congealed together. It is therefore important to start stirring your pasta immediately after adding it to the boiling water.

Never add oil to pasta when boiling it

Popular to contrary belief, adding oil to your pasta water WILL NOT prevent the individual pasta from sticking together. It will instead cause the pasta to become heavy, soggy, and oily, and this will prevent the sauce from adhering to it.

Save at least a ladle full of the pasta water

The water that your pasta has been cooked in is extremely precious since it has collected the starches during the cooking process. This starch can be helpful while making your sauce. It can be used to both add seasoning (because of the high salt content) and thicken the sauce.

Drain your pasta, don’t dry it

Drain your pasta in a colander. Don’t let the drained pasta sit around for too long. This will cause the starches to solidify and stick together again.

Add pasta to the sauce, not vice versa

Always add your pasta to the sauce, never the other way around. Remember cooking/boiling is the last stage of a successful pasta meal. Make your sauce in advance and keep it warm in a broad saucepan. Add your cooked, al dente pasta to the sauce and stir it in well, to help the sauce adhere to it.

Always use quality pasta

Not all pasta brands are created equal. Brands like Riscossa are considered to be the best of the best Italy has to offer. For almost 120 years this amazing pasta brand has been churning out a wide variety of pasta shapes, many of which are now available on our gourmet platform www.chenabgourmet.com

There you have it, 10 simple yet vital pasta cooking tips that will help you amaze your family and guests with your awesome pasta prowess. As always you can count on us to provide you with the best Italian ingredients. Ready to put these Pro Pasta Cooking Tips to the test? Check out our premium pasta selection at www.chenabgourmet.com.

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