Pasta for Dummies

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta"
-Fellini









Pasta Brands
The kind of dry pasta you use does in fact make a difference. For me, the best on the market is Barilla. They have a huge selection, and it does cook up "al dente every time." If you don't believe me, buy a box of Barilla and a box of Ronzoni and see for yourself.

Fresh Pasta
Fresh Pasta is a luxury. Not really because of the cost (although it can be expensive), but because it needs to be cooked relatively soon after you buy it, and you can't really get it at the local supermarket. However, if you want a treat get yourself some fresh ravioli or tortellini or gnocchi, boil for 2-3 minutes and enjoy! It cooks much faster than the dried stuff, and is more delicate, so don't walk away while it’s cooking.

Cooking It
I know that Chefs go on and on about the amount of water to the amount of pasta, but let's be honest, it's New York, and most of us don't have the luxury of having enough space for a huge pasta pot. So, cook your pasta in the largest pot you have with salt*. DO NOT PUT OIL IN YOUR PASTA WATER!! If you oil your water any sauce you use won't adhere to the pasta. Oiled Pasta Water is the result of slippery pasta with sauce on the bottom of your plate instead of on the noodles, where it should be. In terms of how long to cook your pasta, keep tasting it until it’s just barely cooked through, the times on the boxes are there as a guide and are almost always correct.

The Right Sauce for the Right Pasta
The easiest rule of thumb here is: the lighter the pasta, the lighter the sauce, the thicker the pasta, the thicker the sauce. So a light Farfalle (bow ties / butterflies) works best with a fresh and light sauce, and an Orecchiette (those things that look like ears) with a cream sauce because it's a heavier pasta. Of course feel free to throw that out the window. As far as I'm concerned, Pesto tastes good no matter what you put it on.

For a visual on pasta types try:
http://www.easypasta.com/pastal.htm

*TIP: Not sure if your water is salty enough... taste it. If it tastes like salt water, it's enough, if it doesn't add a little bit more. Don't be afraid to salt your water, it makes food flavorful.