Pasta 101: The Complete Guide to Cooking Pasta Like a Pro

Guess what, Italian cuisine has become an essential part of Indian food habits. There is at least one Italian food joint in every nook and corner of the country that serves freshly baked pizzas, saucy pastas, risottos and more. And we can’t deny that pasta is one of the most popular choices among all (the other being pizza). From roadside stalls to the best of restaurants, we find people thronging eateries to relish this humble delicacy. He is not everything. Today we make different types of pasta at home too. But mostly we often make it wet or overcooked. wonder why? The answer lies in raw pasta. According to experts, we need to make it ‘al dente’ – which literally means ‘to the end’; Meaning, the pasta should be chewy. Now, this raises another question – what’s the trick behind Al Dante? Don’t worry, we are here to help you.

In this article, we will give you a complete guide on how to make pasta perfectly. Let’s start with understanding the process of boiling.

How to Boil Pasta Thoroughly:

As mentioned earlier, the idea is to check to see if the pasta is completely al dente. To do this, we need to take half a liter of water per 100 grams of raw pasta. Find the steps below:

• Bring 500ml of water to the boil in a large, high-sided pan.
• Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to it. Boil it.
• Now, add 100 grams of pasta (enough for one person) and cook for exactly eight minutes. If you have penne or any other thick pasta, keep it for 10 minutes.
• Keep stirring the pasta till it boils so that it does not stick to the pan.
• Drain the water and allow the pasta to steam dry for a minute before adding to desired sauce.

Read also: Watch: Easy way to make raw pasta at home without machine

Avoid these 5 mistakes when boiling pasta:

By now, we all know that boiling pasta can be a difficult task. One basic mistake can completely ruin the dish. Here are some common mistakes that people should carefully avoid.

• Never wash pasta after boiling it. This will wash out the salt and natural starch, making it taste bland.
• Straining is important to prevent excess pasta water from becoming sticky or soggy.
• Many of us boil pasta and make sauce out of it. But it should be the other way around. Pre-cooking pasta can make it soggy; This will further prevent the sauce from coating properly.
• Do not throw away the extra boiled water. You may need to add it to the sauce if it dries out.
• Be sure to add enough salt to properly season your pasta water.

Read also: Kitchen hacks: 5 easy ways to use leftover pasta water in your cooking

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Here are 5 classic pasta recipes for you:

Now that you know how to boil pasta properly, let’s take you to the next step in cooking boiled pasta. Here we’ve curated some of our favorite pasta recipes that are classic, delicious and will instantly tug at the heartstrings. Find the recipes below.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio:

This is probably one of the simplest pasta recipes that anyone can cook. A traditional dish from Naples, it is made using garlic (aglio) and olive oil (olio). The best part is that you are free to use as much oil and garlic as you want. So don’t shy away from making spaghetti oily and spicy! click here for recipe.

Pasta Carbonara:

The name of the dish is derived from ‘Carbon’, which means coal. It was popular among coal miners and contains a generous amount of bacon. It is simple and fuss free and is a perfect recipe when you are in no mood to cook. click here for recipe.

Spaghetti Bolognese:

Every carnivore absolutely loves Bolognese sauce, a meat-based sauce that finds its origins in Bologna, Italy. This recipe, cooked with spaghetti, uses minced lamb, onions, tomatoes and a generous amount of Parmesan cheese. click here for recipe.

Pasta Arrabbiata:

This dish is ideal for those who love everything hot and spicy. ‘Arrabbiata’ literally means anger in Italian. This means that the pasta owes its name to the spiciness of the chilies used in the sauce. click here for recipe.

Basil Pesto Pasta:

A herby pasta that is full of flavor, this dish spells indulgence. Here, we make a pesto sauce with basil, garlic, olive oil and a few other ingredients and toss the cooked pasta in it. click here for recipe.

What are you waiting for? Follow these steps and recipes and make a delicious bowl of pasta today. Let us know which of the above did you try first.