12 Pasta Tips

1. Buy Italian

Manufacturers in Italy are bound by law to use durum wheat (grano duro) and no other. This hard grain is perfect for making firm, well-textured pasta. In other countries softer wheat is sometimes used, with predictably limp results.

2. How much pasta to cook?

500g or 1lb of pasta should feed four hungry people as a main course.

3. Adding Salt

Once water is boiling, put in at least a tablespoon of coarse sea salt per 500g (1lb) of pasta.

4. When to add pasta?

Add pasta when water is boiling vigorously and not before.

5. Al Dente Pasta

Test pasta often while boiling so you’ll know when it is al dente, or biteable.

6. Stir often.

Stir frequently and gently while water boils so that the pasta does not stick together.

7. After srained, add pasta almost immediately into sauce.

The idea is to get as much of the sauce clinging to the pasta as possible. Srain boiled pasta (no rinsing) and place into sauce. Toss together as quickly as possible.

8. Pasta tastes best served immediately.

Have guests waiting at table during last minute of tossing.

9. Pairing sauce with Pasta

As a general rule long thin pasta goes best with thinner, smoother sauces and tubular, round or ribbon-shaped pasta goes better with chunkier sauces.

10. Easy Pasta Dish

Aglio e olio, garlic and oil, is the simplest and quickest of all pasta dishes. For each person sauté one crushed garlic clove in olive oil. Mix with freshly strained pasta and serve. (Pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP with butter is also a nice addition.)

11. Another Easy Pasta Dish

Another easy pasta dish is to simply mix freshly strained pasta with pesto.

12. Grated Cheese

Fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP is the best cheese to grate over pasta as is Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano.

Find fresh, Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano at Herma’s!