Pasta is one of the greatest creations known to humanity. If you do not know how to cook pasta, you are in the right place. Well as a descendant of an Italian grandmother, I certainly think so anyway and when it comes to us Italians we just love our pasta. Whether that is with cheese, tomato, seafood, meat, and even fruit. Buon appetito!
However, lots of people cook pasta all around the world and although you may not think the way you cook your pasta really matters and it is just a case of boiling some water and putting in some pasta and letting it cook, there is a lot more to it than just that.
In fact, it is almost an art and by implementing some simple tricks of the trade and hidden kitchen secrets, you can create a pasta dish that is guaranteed to be akin to an Italian local that was born in the kitchen. Not to mention perfecting this simple trick, gives you an excuse to eat pasta every day, not that you needed one in the first place anyway…
Steps to Cook Pasta the “Italian Way”
As a polite notice before following these steps on how to cook pasta, we cannot promise that these steps will make you a complete pasta addict and that if for any reason you become addicted to every type of pasta dish on the planet, we cannot be held liable!
That’s right, these cooking tips and tricks are not for the faint-hearted, and those who already have a crippling addiction to the pasta better stay away because these pasta cooking life hacks will revolutionize your cooking and take it to a level you haven’t tasted before.
Step 1 – First and foremost, one of the most important things in ensuring that your pasta is cooked the “Italian way” is the cooking utensils that help you prepare and cook the pasta. Everyone knows that the key to creating the best pasta you have ever tasted is with a large pot. However, there is a method to the madness and a large pot allows you to fill it with a lot of water and pasta so there is plenty of space for the pasta to float about freely; this is one of the key components to cooking scrumptious pasta.
Step 2 – Next add a lot of water and when we say a lot we mean it. As a rule of thumb, to cook around 500 grams of pasta, you need around 4 liters of cold water. This water should then be brought to a rolling boil in which you should add the pasta promptly after. The reason for the large volume of water means that the pasta will not stick together and can float freely. We told you the big pot was important!
Step 3 – Once you have added the pasta it is vital that you stir the pasta frequently. We recommend using a long wooden fork or spoon, ensuring you stir the pasta every 30 seconds or so in order to avoid the pasta sticking together.
Step 4 – After stirring you to want to place a cover over the pot and leave it to cook until the water begins to boil once again. When the water is boiling, you want to remove the cover once again and begin to taste for doneness.
Step 5 – Around 1 to 2 minutes before the recommended cooking time, check the pasta is ready by tasting and checking it is al dente and firm to bite into. If so you can move on to the next step. It is always important to try and avoid overcooking pasta and is vital that home cooks remember the rule that pasta continues to cook for a few minutes after you drain it and add sauce to it.
Step 6 – Finally you want to quickly drain the pasta and toss it directly into the sauce you want to eat it with, in a pan on low heat. After a minute or so of stirring and mixing the sauce, remove the pan from the hob and place the pasta and sauce into a bowl ready to eat. Your pasta is now ready!
How to Cook Pasta: Conclusion
Hopefully, by following these tips and tricks you can now become a pasta god in the kitchen and start revolutionizing your pasta-making game. Gone are the days of soggy and overcooked pasta and with this cooking guide you have now discovered a new way of cooking everyone’s favorite carbohydrate, the way it was meant to be cooked! Whether you are creating a Carbonara or a Bolognese you can be confident in knowing you are cooking it in the Italian style and the way pasta was always intended to be eaten. If you are going to cook pasta, why not cook it the way it was intended now at the end of this guide you can be proud of knowing you are blessed in knowing the Italian way of cooking pasta.
