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26 APRIL 2019
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THE TECHNIQUE
A LITTLE PASTA COOKING LIQUID,
a tangle of just-tender noodles,
and you’re well on your way to
weeknight dinner bliss. But if
standard boxed pasta is your
go-to, it’s time to take your game
to the next level. Artisanal dried
pastas (look for “bronze cut” on
the label) are now common on
grocery shelves and are well
worth the switch. Extruded
through bronze dies, they have a
rough, textured surface that
helps sauces cling to the pasta. As
an added bonus, the starches that
are cast off into the salty pasta
cooking water become the
foundation of a number of
elegant pan sauces, thickening
them while suspending fats to
help create a creamy emulsion.
Whether you choose tubular
rigatoni dressed in a chicken liver
ragù (p. 32) or silky ribbons of
tagliatelle in a pasta primavera,
follow our simple master
technique below (and the recipes
that follow) to enjoy the ultimate
pasta night. —LIZ MERVOSH
PASTA, PERFECT
COOK PASTA
Drop pasta into boiling
water; stir for a few
seconds to prevent
sticking. Allow water to
return to a boil quickly.
Cook until very al
dente, about 3 minutes
shorter than package
calls for. Using long
tongs, transfer pasta
to skillet.
SIMMER & SHAKE
Bring mixture in pan
to a simmer and
continue to stir and
shake pasta in skillet
until sauce becomes
creamy and emulsi-
fies, clinging to
noodles and pooling in
skillet, 1 to 2 minutes.
GARNISH & SERVE
When sauce is creamy,
thickened, and cling-
ing to noodles, turn off
heat and sprinkle in
cheese, fresh herbs,
or other uncooked
garnishes. Toss again
to incorporate, and
ser ve immediately.
STIR AND TOSS
Stir and shake skillet
constantly, and toss to
coat pasta with sauce
ingredients in pan.
Add butter or other fat
to pan (depending on
your recipe), and
immediately add pasta
cooking liquid (see
Step 4.)
BOIL WATER
On back burner, bring
4 quarts of water to a
boil in a 6- to 8-quart
tall pot over high. Stir
in^1 / 4 cup Diamond
Crystal Kosher Salt
(water should taste like
the sea). Meanwhile,
prepare sauce in a
large skillet on front
burner.
ADD PASTA
COOKING LIQUID
Using a handled
heatproof measuring
cup, add^1 /^2 cup pasta
cooking liquid. Stir and
add up to^1 / 2 cup more
liquid as needed to
maintain^1 / 4 to^1 / 2 inch
of sauce in pan.
