Macaroni, spaghetti, tortellini, farfalle, fusilli, pasta shells… According to the International Pasta Organisation, there are more than 600 types of pasta in the world. And even though it is the Italians that obviously eat this food the most, it is also eaten a lot in the UK.
Discover our latest podcast
And yet, cooking pastais still quite complicated to master. And since pasta comes in all shapes and sizes such as long, short, in ribbons, tubes or twists, each type has its own properties and so needs to be cooked and prepared in a different way. But for all those who can’t be bothered waiting ten minutes in front of a pan of boiling water, here is THE fool proof technique for cooking pasta quicker.
Pre-soak the pasta in cold water
Contrary to popular belief, it is very possible to start preparing pasta well before you cook it. All you have to do is place the raw pasta in a dish and cover it with cold water. Then, leave it for around sixty minutes, enough time for the pasta to soak up enough water that it would when you cook it normally. And there is obviously no risk of burning it during this time and you can go about your business.
An hour later, all you have to do is bring the pan of pasta to the boil for… sixty seconds! And voilà! Dinner is served! The advantage of this surprising little trick is that as well as being time saving, the pasta doesn’t come out as sticky because it is better hydrated. In sum, a technique worthy of a true chef.
Better sauces from pasta water
It is also worth mentioning that you shouldn’t discard all the pasta water when you drain it since this water is very useful for creating the ‘link’ between pasta and sauces such as tomato sauce. If you use some of this water, you don’t have to use butter, crème fraiche or other fatty substitutes which is ideal if you’re watching your shape but still want to enjoy the same foods.
