Professional chefs share five simple techniques that will transform your homemade pasta from ordinary to restaurant-quality, no culinary school required.
The Secrets
1. Salt your water like the sea. Use 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per quart of water. Most home cooks drastically under-season their pasta water.
2. Save pasta water. That starchy liquid is liquid gold for building silky sauces. Reserve at least 1 cup before draining.
3. Finish pasta in the sauce. Transfer pasta to your sauce pan 2 minutes early and finish cooking in the sauce. This creates a unified dish instead of sauce sitting on top.
4. Never rinse your pasta. Rinsing removes starch that helps sauce adhere. The only exception is for cold pasta salads.
5. Use the right shape. Chunky sauces need ridged pasta (rigatoni, penne) that catches pieces. Smooth sauces pair with long pasta (spaghetti, linguine).
