Not enough water
Pasta needs space in the pot to move freely so it won’t stick. Always cook pasta in a large pot and don’t skimp on water. Yes, more water means a slightly longer wait for dinner, but it’s essential. The rule of thumb: 1 liter of water (about 4 cups) for every 100 grams of pasta.
Skipping the salt
Pasta should always be cooked in salted water, since it absorbs both the water and the salt. Without it, the pasta will be bland. Wait until the water boils before adding the salt — adding it earlier just slows down the boiling process. Use 1 heaping teaspoon of salt per liter of water.
Not waiting for a full boil
Everyone’s hungry, but don’t rush it. Pasta should only go into fully boiling water and be cooked for the exact time recommended on the package. Otherwise, you’ll end up with limp, lifeless pasta instead of perfectly al dente. For best results, finish the last 2 minutes of cooking in the sauce, not in the water.
Letting the pasta wait for the sauce
Golden rule: sauce always waits for the pasta — never the other way around. Only when the sauce is nearly ready should you drop the pasta into the pot. If you get the timing right, even professionals will be impressed. And remember, pasta doesn’t wait for anyone, not even guests — guests wait for the pasta.
Adding oil to the water
Seriously? This is one of the worst cooking myths out there. Oil floats on top of the water, so it does nothing in the pot. Worse, oily pasta won’t hold onto the sauce, which will simply slide off. Stop adding oil to the water — it’s not just useless, it’s harmful.
Now that you know how to cook perfect pasta, here’s a recipe to put your skills to use:
Pici pasta with cacio e pepe sauce (serves 4)
Pasta dough:
- 200 g (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 ml (scant ½ cup) water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
Sauce:
- 200 g (7 oz) Pecorino cheese
- ⅔ tsp black pepper
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, water, olive oil and salt. Knead until smooth. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut dough into 4–5 cm pieces and roll into thin ropes — like making clay “snakes.” Cut to desired length. Kids can help with this step.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tsp salt.
- Drop in the pasta and cook for 5–8 minutes, depending on thickness. Taste for preferred texture.
- Meanwhile, toast the black pepper in a wide sauté pan for 2–3 minutes, then add a ladle of pasta cooking water.
- Grate in half the Pecorino using the fine side of a grater, stirring until melted.
- Add the pasta to the sauce, season lightly with salt, and toss until the pasta absorbs most of the sauce. Serve with more grated cheese on top. For extra richness, add a little butter to the sauce.