Americans have no idea how to eat pasta. We make a simple and hearty dish into something complex and frivolous, the culinary equivalent of 2-for-1 shooters at the chain restaurant down the block. Judging strictly by our consumption, we regard cheese as a foodstuff that can raise the dead, a tendency that betrays a more subtle overemphasis on sauce to make our pasta palatable. More disturbingly, more often than not, our sauce usually comes out of a jar from some distant corporate canning facility. Very few of us actually taste pasta anymore, and this has led to a palatte for processed food that leaves us dependent on restaurants for our pasta fix. No more. Beyond being possible, it’s absurdly easy to serve up fresh and delectable pasta in your own home. The key is simplicity, great ingredients, and little bit of know-how.
Use salt in your water. Does your pasta tend to taste bland and lifeless? The key isn’t to drown it in salty sauces that just flavor the outside of the noodle. In order to have pasta good enough to eat by itself, you have to add salt to the boiling water that cooks your pasta. You only get one shot at this. Pasta that’s salted after cooking or paired with salty elements at the table never gets truly permeated with flavor. Wait until your water gets good and hot before adding your salt. This will minimize your risk of damage that might result from a clump of salt lying at the bottom of your pan since the salt will mix with the hot water almost immediately. Add about a tablespoon of salt to your water. I assure you that this isn’t too much salt. Most of the salt will continue to frolic in the water that you’ll drain off. This amount will leave you with a level of saltiness that enhances flavor rather than tasting, well, salty.
Don’t overcook your pasta. The best way to test whether your pasta is done has nothing to do with a kitchen timer. Just fish out a piece and give it a try. You don’t want any crunchiness, but you likewise want to pull it from heat before it gets to just the texture you want. You see, even once you drain the pasta, the heat left in it is going to continue to cook it a bit.
Use extra virgin olive oil. The oil you toss in with your pasta should be flavorful in its own right because it’s not going to be cooked. Don’t use vegetable oil, and don’t try to get by with some plain jane bottle marked “olive oil”. You want the best stuff you can get your hands on for pasta dishes. Keep in mind, however, that great taste doesn’t always correlate with a high price tag. Look for cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, and try a few until you find a variety that you really enjoy.
Don’t use too much olive oil. You don’t want your mouth to taste greasy when you’re eating your pasta. Use 30-40 ml (2-3 tablespoons) of olive oil for the entire pot of pasta. Good olive oil is so flavorful that you won’t need much to make your plate of pasta sing. If you want additional olive oil flavor on your plate, you can always try speading olive oil on some hot bread.
Use seasonal ingredients. Ever wonder why food tends to taste so much better at a nice restaurant? One of the biggest secrets to great-tasting food is simply to use fresh ingredients that are in-season. Vegetables and fruits vary a great deal in flavor during the course of the year. This is why a tomato that tastes positively sinful in July will taste like a hockey puck in November. If you have trouble knowing what’s actually in-season in your area—and really who could blame you with the virtually unchanging selection of produce at your local supermarket—head out to a local farmer’s market. Local growers will inevitably have a plethora of fresh eats that will probably even be even cheaper than what you’re used to from your local grocer.
Don’t try to do too much. Don’t throw the whole pantry into your pasta. Pick 1-3 ingredients that work well together. Some great combinations?
- Diced tomatoes, caramelized sweet onions, and garlic.
- Fresh basil, sauteed mushrooms, and diced tomatoes.
- Frozen peas, dried oregano, and a sauteed spinach.
- Sun-dried tomatoes and sauteed red peppers.
Punch up the flavor with a little hit of vinegar before you mix your ingredients in. Often, we add more salt to our food than is necessary or even desireable because we’re missing a hint of acidic flavor to really showcase the flavors of our food. Add 20-30 ml (1-2 tablespoons) of a good flavorful vinegar like apple cider or red wine vinegar. No one at the table will be able to place the flavor, but it will enhance the flavor of nearly everything else in the pot.
Great pasta doesn’t have to involve some arcane sauce alchemy, and it’s not the sole purview of the kitchen at your local restaurant. Armed with knowledge and a desire for simplicity and freshness, you can create an endless array of nutritious, hearty, and absurdly simple pasta dishes that would make any true Italian weep with delight.