We may have been cooking at home for many years, but the pandemic has us doing so even more frequently. Since we are not buying at restaurants as often anymore, we want to make sure that the food we make at home is as perfect as possible and pasta is on the list.
More than likely, you are happy with the way you are making pasta, but if you happen to buy it at a restaurant, you might find that your home efforts are lacking. Understanding the secrets to cooking perfect pasta can help you to love this meal even more.
First of all, there is a right way to cook pasta and a wrong way. You probably think you already know the “right way,” after all, it’s only pasta. In fact, there is more to simply boiling a pot of water, putting in some salt, loading the pasta, and stirring.
You might find it frustrating that, regardless of how much cheese, butter, or sauce you put onto your pasta, it isn’t quite as good as what you by at the local Italian restaurant down the street. Some people may have the hang of it, but the rest of us could use a little help.
When we discover the secrets used by restaurants for creating pasta, it can take our home cooking game to a new level. Here are the steps for you to follow.
1. Start by under-cooking the pasta by about 2 minutes. It may not seem like much, but if you think about the short amount of time you cook pasta, a little makes a big difference.
When you cut down on how long you cook the pasta, it allows the dish to remain a little chewy. Having that balance allows you to enjoy your food even more.
2. Adding the pasta to the sauce before it is fully cooked is also an important step in the process. More than likely, you are cooking the pasta in a separate pot. Allowing the pasta and the sauce to cook together for up to 3 minutes helps the pasta to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
You should also look beyond the typical red sauce that you probably already use. Using some olive oil or perhaps an Alfredo can really make a difference.
If you’re looking for more, there isn’t any to offer. That two-step process is all it takes to bring your pasta from mediocre to fantastic. You might even find that more people are coming to your home to enjoy your pasta because you offer that special something when cooking it.