How to Cook Pasta Perfectly
A step-by-step guide for restaurant-quality pasta at home.
Written by: Chef Salvatore Bossone
Pasta is so easy to make that it might sound offensive to be taught how to cook it. But easy doesn't always mean simple. Cooking pasta to perfection requires attention and does not admit distractions.
Let's see together the 5 easy steps to cook pasta correctly without making mistakes and to enhance its texture, taste, and flavor.
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1. Water and salt
The key to restaurant-quality pasta starts with the simplest of ingredients: water and salt. The quantity, however, is what makes all the difference. Let's talk ratios. The golden rule dictates that for every 100 grams of pasta, you need a full liter of water. This is essential to ensure your pasta rehydrates evenly, preventing mushy bits and guaranteeing a perfectly al dente finish.
Now, here's where most people might go astray: salt the water before it boils. The pasta needs to absorb the salt as it cooks. Adding it after the water boils means the pasta only gets seasoned on the surface, leaving the inside flavorless. By salting the water from the start, you're infusing every strand with that perfect salty kick. The ratio? 10 grams of salt (better if rock salt) for every 100 gr of pasta.​​​​
TLDR:
2 servings: 2.5 L of water, 25 gr of salt
4 servings: 5 L of water, 50 gr of salt
8 servings: 10 L of water, 100 gr of salt
2. Boil and stir
When the water is boiling, it’s time to add the pasta. Make sure that the water is rolling before you introduce your pasta. A vigorous boil is crucial for a couple of reasons. First, it prevents the pasta from sticking together in a clumpy mess at the bottom of the pot. Second, it allows the outside of the pasta to set, preserving its al dente texture, while helping to maintain its structure as the inside cooks.
Also, stir the pasta for about a minute to help separate all the noodles.
TLDR:
Stir the pasta for about a minute after adding to rolling boiling water.
3. Cooking time
Forget the timer! Italians don’t measure their pasta’s prison sentence. They taste it to freedom. And for a good reason. Cooking times shown on the package are generally reliable, but the truth is cook time will differ based on many factors - stove heat, pot type, altitude, etc. So you must check for doneness along the way. As the pasta is cooking, start fishing out a noodle every minute or so. In this way, you’ll be sure to cook pasta that perfectly matches your personal taste!
TLDR:
Taste the pasta along the way - early and often.
4. Drain pasta and don’t you dare rinse it
When your pasta is cooked to perfection, it’s time to drain it or, if there’s a fancy chef in you, transfer it directly from the boiling water into the skillet with the sauce using a skimmer or tongs. Don’t fall for the absurdity of rinsing your pasta with cold water. There’s an important starchy film on the pasta that allows the sauce to more easily stick to the noodles. If you wash that starch off, you’re never going to have a beautiful, shiny, cohesive pasta.
And remember: save some of the pasta water. The starchy, salty water will be your secret ingredient in thickening and flavoring the sauce.
TLDR:
Save some of the pasta water, drain it, and DON’T rinse your pasta.
5. Finish the Pasta by heating the sauce
Pasta and sauce shouldn’t meet for the first time on your plate. The pasta should always finish cooking in the sauce instead. The one exception to this rule is pestos, which are raw and not meant to be heated.
So, a few minutes before draining the pasta, start heating your sauce in a saucepan. Once it’s heated, add the drained pasta and a splash of that reserved pasta water. Simmer while stirring to coat the noodles with the sauce. After a minute or so, your pasta is ready and you will taste the difference in taste.
Transfer to a plate or bowl and serve immediately.​
Buon Appetito!​