You pour boiling water over the paste, wait 8 minutes and drain the water, thinking that you are doing everything right.
But Italian grandmothers cry when they look at your pasta. The secret to perfect pasta is to avoid boiling.
Sounds absurd? Try the "cold method": cover the spaghetti with cold water, add salt and place on medium heat.
Once the water boils, turn off the stove, cover the pan with a lid and leave for 15 minutes. The result? The pasta will remain elastic, will not stick together and will not turn into mush.
Scientists explain this by the fact that starch dissolves slowly, preserving the structure. But that's not all. Never add oil to water - it creates a film that prevents the sauce from sticking to the pasta.
Instead, save a cup of cloudy cooking water: the starch will make the sauce thick and shiny. For example, mix it with tomato paste, garlic and basil - you get the perfect dressing in 2 minutes.
Also try cooking the pasta in vegetable broth instead of water - it will absorb the flavors and become a separate dish.
After a week of experimenting, you will understand why in Italy there is no such thing as “overcooked pasta” – they simply don’t know how to spoil it.
Author: Valeria Kisternaya
