Tonight Phil and I had dinner with my parents at an Italian restaurant. I enjoy dining out and eating at different places. I was also really excited to taste the homemade fusilli that the restaurant was known for. The fusilli were fantastic, but Phil's pasta mush! So, I wanted to take this time to talk about the importance of salting and properly straining pasta. Every cook I have ever met understands the importance of salting the pasta water! It is one of the biggest misses at some restaurants and the final product is bland pasta. So, next time you are boiling your water for pasta, add some salt. I always use kosher salt and I typically do one full spin around the pan or a good way to test it is to taste the water to see if you can taste the salt.
As for straining pasta invest in a good colander or sieve to strain your pasta, don't be lazy and scoop the pasta from the water and put it into the sauce. I myself do use a few tablespoons of pasta water to bring together certain sauces when I add the pasta, but I still make sure my pasta is completely strained before adding it. Take your time, pour the pasta into a colander, shake the excess water and then toss it in the saute pan with the sauce. You've spent time cooking it, now shouldn't it be perfect?
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