Knocking Italy off the throne of world pasta consumption rankings? That never works out! The average Italian eats about 23 to 25 kilograms of pasta every year. From spaghetti to orecchiette, from lasagna to penne. Pasta there is not a dish, but a lifestyle. And honestly: who says no to a steaming plate of pasta with rich tomato sauce?
What 5 habits are better not to do while cooking pasta?
How to cook pasta, everyone has something to say about that. Yet all the advice is not entirely correct or helpful. Cooking pasta seems simple, but avoid these five common mistakes:
- Using too little water
Always use at least 1 liter of water per 100 grams of pasta. Too little water causes the pasta to stick together and increases the chances of a ‘pasta cake’ in your pot. How that happens. Pasta contains starch. As soon as it comes into contact with hot water, these molecules are released and form a glue-like substance. With enough water you dilute this effect and your pasta stays loose.
Additional advantage: with lots of water, the temperature barely drops when you add the pasta, making the cooking process even. - Using oil or salt incorrectly
Do you sometimes add a splash of olive oil to the cooking water? What a waste of your oil! It has absolutely no added value and can even cause the sauce does not stick to the pasta as well.
What about salt? Italians add about 10 grams of salt per liter of water. Not to raise the boiling point (that requires a ridiculous amount of salt), but for flavor. So feel free to do it, but in moderation. - Add pasta to cold or non-boiling water
Always waiting for your water really boils (big, rolling bubbles) before adding the pasta. This will prevent the texture from becoming limp and uneven. - Do not stir after adding paste
Immediately stir in the saucepan once you have added the pasta and Keep stirring frequently for the first minute. Thus, those starch molecules disperse faster and the paste is less likely to stick to each other or the bottom of the pot. - Draining the pasta too long or rinsing it with cold water
While the pasta is cooking, grease the inside of your colander with baking spray in advance so that a thin layer forms. Drain your pasta, and you will notice that it no longer sticks in the colander, Then mix immediately with the sauce and add a spoonful of cooking water if necessary. Never rinse with cold water because you will rinse away the starch needed for the sauce to adhere well.
Enjoying a steaming plate of pasta...
Pasta you eat ‘al dente’ which literally means “to the tooth. Not only does it taste better then, it is also a little easier to digest. How do you know when your pasta is ”al dente‘? Taste it! Do you feel a slight resistance when you bite into the pasta? Then it's al dente. Little tip: It is best to take the pasta out of the water when it is almost ’al dente‘. Pasta always cooks a little further and don't forget that you are still stirring hot sauce over it, which also makes the pasta a little more tender. And now enjoy your perfectly cooked pasta...
No pasta without sauce
Did you know that there are as many as 450 types of pasta in Italy? But there are also as many types of sauce! Crazy right?
The best-known Italian pasta sauces usually fall into one of the 3 categories below:
- Tomato or vegetable-based sauces
- Cream or cheese sauces
- Based on oil, nuts or spices
From Ragù alla Bolognese to Pesto alla Genovese and from Carbonara to Puttanesca, the world of pasta sauces is endless.
At Elvea, we created 3 ready-to-use, 100% natural pasta sauces that make life with pleasure a lot easier. Want a quick and easy meal after a busy day, preferably healthy too? From now on, conjure up delicious pasta in no time with one of Elvea's pasta sauces, prepared with only real Italian tomatoes from Parma. Elvea Arrabbiata is an ideal base for all quick ‘spicy’ pasta dishes. Elvea Tradizionale is the perfect base for a natural pasta dish, or a quick spaghetti bolognaise. Elvea Basilico is perfect for any summer pasta.
Would you rather make your own authentic Italian pasta sauce? You can! Our extensive range of canned tomatoes are the ideal base. Do you prefer to use Cubes, Pelati or Passata? Whichever product you prefer, you'll taste Italy in every bite!
