UNDERCOOK IT.
The most essential trick
to cooking the perfect
al dente pasta is to take the
instructions on the dry
pasta package and subtract
1 to 2 minutes. If it says
8 minutes, cook it 6.
Pasta companies think
Americans want mush,
but they’re wrong.
We know better.
Al dente always! If
you’re not sure it’s
done, don’t throw
the spaghetti
against the fridge.
Taste some!
YOU DON’T HAVE TO
PULL OUT THE BIG POT.
You need 5 to 6 quarts of rolling boiling water to cook
1 pound of pasta. But there are also dishes for which
you cook the pasta in very little water, as you would risotto.
Drunken spaghetti is a specialty of mine, and it’s made in a
deep pan. I cook the pasta partially in water, drain it, and
cook it the rest of the way in red wine.
4
1
2
3
HOLD THE SALT
(FOR A SECOND).
One of my few food
rules: Yes, you want to
liberally salt your water —
but not until it’s boiling.
Otherwise, it basically
gives your pot acne by
falling to the bottom of
the pot and pitting it.
DRIED IS
JUST FINE.
I do occasionally make
homemade gnocchi or
cavatelli, like when I’m in
Italy. But I don’t tend to
buy it fresh or frozen
because I actually prefer
the bite of dried pasta.
That’s what I work with.
PASTA BEST
PRACTICES
IF YOU’RE LIKE MOST PEOPLE, YOU LEARNED
HOW TO COOK PASTA SOMETIME IN
YOUR TWEENS. BUT ARE YOU DOING IT
RIGHT? HERE ARE MY BASIC MUST-KNOWS,
PLUS SOME IDEAS FOR HOW TO LEVEL-UP
YOUR GAME AND COOK YOUR PASTA
BETTER, FASTER, AND TASTIER.
4 RACHAEL RAY ITALIAN
