How to Cook Perfect Pasta Every time

This is so easy its ridiculous. Pasta is best enjoyed at your favourite texture, but no one likes the overcooked macaroni in the salad. This method guarantees perfectly cooked pasta.



 Three easy steps for perfect pasta every time.

1. Big Pot Big Water - This is not a time to pull out a sauce-pot. Grab the biggest pot you have. If you've ever made penne or spaghetti and had it all stick together, this was the mistake you made. Not enough space for the pasta's starches to evenly distribute. The ratio for H2O to fully cooked pastashould be at least 5:1.

2. Cook it in the Ocean - One difference sometimes between the pasta you make at home and the pasta you get in a restaurant is proper seasoning. Salt the water until it tastes like the sea. This is the primary seasoning in a pasta dish, so make sure not to forget it. *note: never add oil to pasta water in Italy they kill you for this.

3. Taste it! - What is the best to tell when pasta is perfectly al dente? Spoon a noddle or two out, it will cool quickly. Think does this have a texture or "bite" to it? Has the entire noodle cooked thoroughly? If your answer is yes, immediately drain. Do not rinse with water! The starch on the pasta provides your sauce with adherence. (Think 1980's Prego bowl tests)

And there you have it. Perfectly cooked pasta, the base on which you can build a pantheon of culinary delights. As always comment with your own pasta ideas, and recipes.