If you’ve ever eaten a meal at Allora, you’ve probably noticed the delicious pasta. Part of the secret is our handmade pasta, made daily. The other element is our cooking method. Even if you’re making pasta out of a box at home, you can get a better result if you avoid these common mistakes:
- Not salting your pasta water: This is one of the most common pasta mistakes. Salted pasta water helps keep the noodles from getting too starchy and seasons them correctly, improving their texture and taste. Your pasta water should be salty like the sea, so aim for at least a heaping tablespoon or more of salt for every pasta pot. Add the salt just as the water comes to a boil.
- Choosing the wrong pot: Choose a larger pot that can fit at least four or six quarts of water. This size gives you room to stir your pasta and ensures you can fill the pot generously with water. If there’s too little liquid, the pasta will make the water cooler when you add it in, making the noodles slimy.
- Washing your pasta: Washing your pasta gets rid of the starch, which means your sauce won’t stick to or coat the pasta properly. Rinsing also removes the seasoning from your salted water, so you end up with a bland dish.
- Throwing your pasta water out: Pasta water is full of starch and seasoning, and it’s the perfect way to make your pasta and sauce work beautifully together. The secret is to cook your pasta until it’s almost done. Then, add the pasta and a splash of pasta water to your sauce and finish cooking your meal. You’ll be amazed at how this method brings the dish together.
- Not paying attention to water temperature: You don’t need to use a thermometer, but you generally want your pasta to cook in water that’s well over 200 degrees, because the pasta will cool the water. The best way to ensure you’ve got the right temperature is to patiently wait for the water to come to a consistent boil before throwing your pasta in.
Choose Allora for the Perfect Pasta
If you want to experience how a professional chef cooks delicious pasta, book a table at Allora today. Our handmade pasta, innovative and traditional Italian dishes and relaxing atmosphere will make you feel right at home!
