See how to prepare the perfect pasta
Pasta, noodles or pasta, whatever you prefer to call it, is a dish that pleases children and adults alike. Delicious, practical and cheap, one of the symbols of Italian gastronomy, it is a passion of Brazilians. But many people – including those of Italian descent – still make mistakes when preparing it, so we decided to give you some tips to help you make the perfect pasta.
1. Which type to use
The pasta preferred by Italians is hard-grain pasta because it holds together better and is al dente. Another detail to note on the packaging is whether the pasta is “trafilata al bronzo”, that is, it has been cut into bronze threads, as was done in the past, which makes the pasta rougher and makes it easier to absorb the sauce.
The reason there are so many pasta shapes is not just an aesthetic issue. If you want to prepare a good pasta you have to choose the most suitable format for the sauce.
Long pastas, such as spaghetti, tagliatelle or pappardelle, go best with liquid and creamy sauces. Rough pasta, such as rigatoni, absorbs the sauce better, while short pasta shapes, such as penne, go well with ragu and less homogeneous sauces. Spiraled pasta, such as fusilli or cavatelli, pairs perfectly with the classic pomodoro sauce.
2. Cook the pasta in a large pot
One of the most common mistakes we make when cooking pasta is doing it in too small a pan. For the pasta to come out perfect, it needs to be cooked quickly in a space where it can be moved, which is impossible in a small pan.
The rule of the masters of the Alma school, one of the most renowned in Italy, is that the proportion should be 100 g of pasta for every liter of water. This is to keep the pasta hydrated and to prevent the water from stopping boiling.
With little water, you will have more starch from the pasta in the water, which will also help it stay sticky.
3. Never break the long folder
When using a very small pan, you will have to break up the spaghetti or any other long pasta to make it fit in the pan, which is a horror in Italian cooking. They say this even makes you lose your Italian citizenship.
4. Add salt to the water
It is essential to add plenty of salt to the water as soon as it starts to boil.
Salt is important as it has an abrasive effect on the surface of the noodles, which prevents them from becoming sticky and sticky. And salt also adds flavor to the pasta that will be tasteless if cooked in water alone.
The Alma school's recommendation is to use coarse salt at a rate of 12 to 15 grams of salt (equivalent to a tablespoon) per liter of water, to be added only when the water starts to boil.
5. Boil the water before adding the pasta
It is essential that the water is boiling when you add the pasta, otherwise it will sit in the non-boiling water for longer and become sticky and sticky. When you put the pasta in the water, its temperature will decrease, so it is essential that the water is actually boiling and not just hot.
6. Do not add olive oil or oil to water
This is a controversial point, as popular knowledge is that adding oil to water prevents the dough from becoming sticky and sticky. However, when you add oil to the water, the pasta will become slippery and will not absorb the sauce very well afterwards.
So, just put the pasta in boiling water and stir it from time to time so that it becomes loose, well cooked and absorbs the flavor of the sauce later.
7. Always stir the pasta during cooking
As soon as you add the pasta to the boiling water, stir a little with a wooden spoon. Repeat this process from time to time to loosen the noodles.
It is important to stir frequently so that the pasta is always moving in the pan. This way, it won't stick!
8. Cook and cook until pasta is
The time indicated on the package is generally ideal for the pasta to be al dente, cooked on the outside and with the inside slightly raw. It is not recommended to go beyond this time to avoid losing texture. A tip is to cook for 30 seconds to a minute less and finish cooking directly in the sauce by adding a little cooking water. The best thing to do is always experiment.
Scientific studies show that an al dente pasta facilitates digestion, contributes to reducing the glycemic index of a meal and increases the feeling of satiety.
9. Wash the pasta
Draining and washing pasta under running water is wrong because it removes the starch. If you are serving it cold or adding the sauce later, then add a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking.
10. Sauce
Always remember that you are cooking pasta with some sauce, that is, the protagonist of the dish must be the pasta. The sauce is exactly a side dish. Therefore, do not overdo the amount of toppings and value the texture of the pasta, which should be al dente.
Read also
Did you know that there are 300 types of pasta, each for a different sauce?
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