How to cook perfect pasta

Method

Step 1:

 

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a good amount of salt. (1 tbsp for 500g pasta in 3750ml of water). We add salt to the boiling water because salt increases the boiling point of the water, so if you add the salt to cold water it takes longer to reach a boil. The salt works to enhance the flavour of pasta itself.

 

Step 2:

 

Add the pasta and stir occasionally to stop the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Hold the spaghetti bundle in hands and twist when inserting to the middle of the pan. This will make the spaghetti spread out nicely like a fan before sinking into the water. Don’t add oil to the water as this will stop the sauce from clinging to the cooked pasta.

 

Step 3:

 

Boil the pasta following packet directions or until al dente, which is Italian for “to the tooth”. To test this, remove a piece of pasta from the pan and take a bite – it should be cooked but still slightly firm in the centre. 

 

Step 4:

 

Drain, but don’t rinse the pasta as this will wash away the starch that is needed to absorb the flavours of the sauce. Reserve pasta water if the sauce recipe requires. Serve immediately.