Don’t feel like cooking? Head to Basta Pasta for an authentic Italian meal!
Pasta is a great, easy way to get dinner on the table. Not only is it quick to make, but the options are endless. Pasta is a blank canvas, perfect for creating a culinary masterpiece of your choosing. But, making perfect pasta is its own art; follow these tips, and you’ll be starting with an ideal base.
Do: Salt The Water
One of the most critical steps to delicious, perfectly cooked pasta is to make sure you’re using enough salt every time. Not only does salt help to season the water and pasta, but it helps to decrease the amount of starch your pasta releases and keeps it all from getting slimy or sticking. For every pot of pasta, you will want to use between a half to a whole tablespoon of salt, depending on the size of the serving.
Don’t: Use Too Small A Pot
While it might be tempting to use whichever pot is readily available, it’s essential that you ensure there is good boiling water to pasta ratio. If you don’t have enough water, the temperature will drop too low when you throw your pasta in. This means that you will wind up with gummy, overly starchy pasta.
Don’t: Wash Your Pasta
While there are some instances where you might want to rinse your pasta after draining, in general, this is unnecessary and will undermine the flavor. When you cooked your pasta in salted water much of the starch, and the salt wound up on the noodles, washing will remove these and make your pasta bland.
Do: Save The Water
While many of us are in the habit of draining off all of the pasta water after it has cooked, it’s time to lose this bad habit. The starchy, seasoned pasta water will help to make your sauce creamier and more flavorful, plus it will add a little extra liquid you need to finish your pasta off.
Do: Toss the Pasta in the Sauce
Once your pasta has reached al dente, you will want to transfer it into your sauce to finish. This is so that in the last bit of cooking your pasta will absorb the flavors of the sauce without overcooking. Pasta sauce should be more than just a topping; it should be an integral part of the meal.
LET BASTA PASTA TREAT YOU!
For more than 12 years, Basta Pasta has given Maryland diners delicious Italian food from local and fresh ingredients. Enjoy delicious pasta dishes, unlimited salad and breadsticks, and fine wine at one of our locations in Timonium, Fallston, Perry Hall, or Eldersburg. Contact us online or give us a call at the location-specific phone number listed here. Read our menu and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter! If you don’t feel like going out, order our signature crab cakes online and enjoy delicious Basta Pasta from home!