Boiling Pasta Correctly
The difference between pasta that absorbs sauce and pasta that sits in a puddle of it lies in the boil. Treat the water as the final seasoning for your dish and never crowd the pot.
Water volume is your insurance policy.
Use a large stockpot. Crowded pasta releases too much starch, resulting in a gummy, clumpy texture rather than individual, al dente strands.
- 8-quart stockpot
- long-handled tongs
- colander
- heat-proof measuring cup
What goes in.
- 5-6 quartswater
- 2 tbspkosher salt
- 1 lbdried pasta
The Starchy Bridge
Before draining, scoop out a cup of the cloudy pasta water. Adding this to your sauce creates a bridge between the starch on the pasta and the fat in the sauce, resulting in a cohesive coating.
The method.
Boil the water
Fill your pot with at least 5 quarts of cold water. Cover to speed the process, but remove the lid once you reach a violent, rolling boil.
Salt heavily
Add the salt only once the water is boiling. If you add it to cold water, it pits the bottom of the pot. Taste the water; it should be noticeably salty.
Add the pasta
Drop the pasta in all at once. Stir immediately and continue to stir occasionally for the first two minutes to ensure the strands don't fuse.
Test for doneness
Begin testing one minute before the package instructions suggest. Bite into a strand; it should offer slight resistance, or al dente, without a chalky white center.
Reserve and drain
Dip your cup into the pot to save a portion of the water. Drain the pasta immediately into a colander, but do not rinse it.
Other turns to take.
Fresh Pasta
Fresh pasta cooks in 2-3 minutes. Use less water and a shallower pot, and watch it closely as it floats to the surface when ready.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Never add oil to the water; it prevents the sauce from clinging to the pasta later.
If your pasta isn't being sauced immediately, toss it with a tiny amount of olive oil to keep it from sticking.
Keep the heat on high throughout the cooking process. If the water stops boiling when you add the pasta, wait for it to return to a boil before starting your timer.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I rinse the pasta after draining?
No. The starch on the surface of the pasta is necessary for the sauce to adhere. Rinsing washes away the flavor and the texture.
How do I know if the pasta is undercooked?
If you see a distinct white dot in the center of the cross-section when you bite through it, keep it in the water for another 30 seconds.
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