After having cooked pasta for nearly 35 years, I thought I knew exactly how to do it.
You boil the pasta in a pot, pour it into a colander once ready – then serve on a plate.
Does that sound familiar? Then you’re not alone. But apparently, we learn new things every day…
Chef Andrew Carmellini, who has worked in Michelin restaurants, recommends the “Italian method”, which is said to make the pasta both tastier and more flavorful.
And after seeing how simple the technique is, I am never cooking pasta the same way again!
First, it’s nonsensical to pour out all your pasta’s water through a colander and into the drain.
That’s because that water comes in handy later – to make your food tastier.
In addition, if you, like me, rinse cold water over your pasta – no need for that either.
This leads to the pasta losing its starch.
Another common mistake is to set your pasta on a plate and pour the sauce on afterwards. The pasta is more likely to become sticky, cold and loses its flavor.
So try this instead:
1. Once ready, use a strainer to remove the pasta from your pot.
2. Pour the pasta into a different pan, along with the sauce you are supposed to have. Cook for about a minute, or until the pasta has soaked up all of the sauce.
3. Here’s where the pasta’s water comes in handy. Using a ladle, pour on top of the pasta to bring out even more flavor.
4. Finally, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.
5. Not bad, right?
Watch the instructional video below:
Isn’t it great to learn something new?
I know I’ll definitely be using this trick the next time I make pasta. Please share this trick so that more people have the chance to learn how to cook pasta “the Italian” and “right” way!
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