I love pasta. I could eat it every day. I still dream of that amazing pasta dish I had in San Francisco many years ago. (I think I've mentioned this before - that's how often I think about it.) Pasta gets a bad rap, but if you're in need of comfort food, it's hard to beat a delicious, steaming bowl of pasta. Simple as it is to cook pasta, many people still struggle. Whether it sticks together in one big rubbery mess or has a texture a baby could deal with, when pasta goes wrong, it's inedible. These 5 simple pasta tips will help you avoid any future dinner disasters. We've even busted a couple of pasta cooking myths!
Salt your water
If you've ever eaten bland, flavourless pasta, chances are you haven't added enough salt. People like to avoid salt for health reasons, but pasta just loves it. Adding plenty of salt to the water helps flavour your pasta. Some people suggest that the water should taste like the sea, but while it's not really necessary to go that far, you definitely need to add a couple of decent pinches. Don't worry though, your pasta won't end up tasting salty. (Unlike the time someone I know added a similar amount of salt to the water he was cooking rice in and essentially tried to poison us all with salt. We ordered in.)
Boil it first
Before you salt your water, bring it to the boil. If you think it's ready, wait a couple of minutes to ensure it's at a proper rolling boil. Once you add the salt, the water will take longer to come to a boil, so be patient and let it do its thing before you salt it. Anything to get that delicious pasta in your mouth quicker, right?
Ditch the oil
One of the most enduring food myths is that you should add oil to the pasta water. There really is no need. This tip might have a minor effect on whether your pasta sticks together or not, but it will also prevent your sauce from clinging and absorbing properly. If you have a problem with pasta that sticks, there are a couple of things you can do. Cook your pasta al dente. (You should be doing this anyway!) Overcooked, gloopy pasta is more likely to stick together than pasta that still has a little bite. The second, more obvious tip is to use your pasta as soon as it's ready. Use the pasta cooking time to prepare your sauce and you'll never need to prise apart a lump of spaghetti again.
Use the pasta water
The only thing you should need to do between draining the pasta and adding it to the sauce is loosen your sauce of choice with a little pasta water. This intensely starchy water will help bring your sauce back to your desired consistency without thinning it out too much. Add a little and cook the sauce for a minute or two before adding your pasta. Of course, not all sauces will need to be loosened, but pasta water will help if your sauce is a little thick.
Let the pasta shine
Your sauce should flavour the pasta, but it shouldn't mask it. The pasta should be the star of the show. Rather than spooning a mound of bolognese sauce onto your pasta, mix them together in the pot so the pasta is fully coated but not heavy with sauce. Grate a little parmesan on top and dig in!
Is everyone else craving pasta right now or is it just me? It's definitely on the menu for tonight.
We'd love to know how you cook perfect pasta. Let us know your favourite tips in the comments, or pop over to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to chat with us.
Pasta Recipe Inspiration
Kale Pasta
Chargrilled Pork and Pasta with White Wine and Caper Sauce
Penne with Cajun Chicken, Sweetcorn, and Spring Onion
Lemon Basil Butter Linguine