10 Tips for Cooking Pasta

If there is a cuisine, besides Mexican, where there is total matriarchy, it is Italian. We have all heard about grandma's recipes, that touch of seasoning and love that Italian grandmothers have for their gastronomy. Today we want to give you some tips on how to cook like they do, to achieve rustic and traditional Italian pastas. 1. Make pasta by hand Is it more complicated than buying it pre-made at the store? Of course, but the result is worth it 100%. If you have made bread or cookie dough, you are very close to making fresh spaghetti or ravioli. It’s just a bit of work and love. Homemade pasta: http://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/pastas/pasta-hecha-en-casa/pasta-casera 2. No refrigerator Many times we keep garlic, onion, and tomatoes in the refrigerator. If you want to make sauces for your pastas, this is a sin; these three basic ingredients in Italian cuisine should be at room temperature in your kitchen, as this preserves their nutrients and flavor. 3. Salt and oil When you boil the pasta in the boiling water, add a splash of oil so it doesn’t stick and a touch of salt to season both the pasta and the water. Fettuccine al pesto: http://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/pastas/fetuccine-al-pesto 4. Water to the sauce No matter what sauce you make, when you are about to have it ready, add one or two tablespoons of the water where the pasta is boiling. Few know this, but that water is full of the starch that comes from the pasta, and adding it to the sauce makes it much creamier and silkier.   5. Parmesan Many cheeses are used in Italian cooking, but pasta is finished with parmesan, not the shredded kind or the powdered kind, but authentic Italian parmesan reggiano. This cheese changes the recipe and makes all the difference. Spaghetti Bolognese: http://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/pastas/spaghetti/spaghetti-a-la-bolognesa 6. Al dente Cook your pasta until it still feels a bit firm in the center, even before it’s al dente. What we sometimes don’t think about is that the pasta continues to cook even when we drain it and mix it with the sauce, so you need to leave time for it to cook just right. 7. Wine Tomato-based pastas are enriched with red wine, while those based on butter or cheese are paired with white wine. Italian Lasagna: http://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/pastas/lasana/lasagna-italiana 8. No rinsing Never rinse pasta. Many people do this because they think it will prevent sticking, but the truth is that it halts the cooking process and ruins the texture. If you want to avoid sticking, simply add a cube of butter and that’s it. 9. Fresh vegetables Besides parmesan, something that a classic Italian pasta should always have is freshly chopped cilantro or parsley. Don’t cook it, just put it on top of the finished dish for a touch of color, flavor, and freshness. Spinach-filled ravioli: http://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/pastas/ravioles-rellenos-de-espinaca 10. Give it a Sicilian flavor If you want to give it an authentic Sicilian flavor, instead of salt, add anchovies to your pan when you start preparing the sauce. It will not only give that salty flavor but also a touch of the sea very representative of southern Italy. Additionally, they melt in the pan so you don't have to worry about their texture.