Boil the Water. Boil the water in a large pan on a high heat. The pan should be big enough to allow the water to simmer freely and for your pasta to move around.
Tip: Using a lid at this stage will encourage the water to boil faster.

Add Salt. When you see the water at a rolling boiling point add in the salt.
Tip: The rule of thumb is the water should be as salty as the Mediterranean sea!

Add Pasta. Stir in the pasta carefully and continue to boil uncovered for 6 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid the pasta sticking together.
Tip: Make sure the salt is dissolved before adding the pasta!

Test the Pasta Regularly. After 6 minutes remove one piece of pasta and carefully bite into it to check if it is ‘al dente’ meaning cooked but with some bite. Watch out it will be hot so blow on it first! If it feels too hard then continue to boil and test again at no more than one minute intervals until the pasta is cooked.
Tip: If it feels like it is almost done then it is as it will carry on cooking after draining. With gluten free pasta the margin for error is smaller than for regular pasta.

Drain the Pasta. Drain the pasta and add the pasta to your sauce not the sauce to the pasta. Coat well and serve immediately. Try not to over-sauce your pasta. The sauce should evenly coat the pasta with none left on the plate when you’ve finished your meal.

Buon appetito!

Remember that package instructions on any pasta should be treated as a guideline. Many factors can vary cooking times including personal taste.

EXTRA TIPS:

Pasta Water: Add a tablespoon or two of the salty, starchy pasta water to your sauce. The water will enhance the texture and body of oily or creamy sauces.

Pasta Pan: Using a large pan with plenty of water not only means that there is plenty of space for the water to bubble freely and your pasta to move around but importantly the water temperature recovers quickly when the pasta is added.

Pasta Shape: Pairing the right pasta shape for your sauce does make a difference. As a basic rule the thinner the sauce the thinner the pasta so no spaghetti and bolognese are not supposed to go together! Spaghetti suits light creamy, oily or tomato sauces which evenly coat each strand like carbonara or olive oil with garlic. Fusilli suits smooth sauces that will collect in the spirals and cling to the twists like pesto. Penne is perfect for capturing chunkier sauces like a ragu with lots of vegetables or for cheesy baked pasta dishes.

Adding Oil: Never add oil to the boiling water. It’s a waste of good oil and does not prevent sticking or add to flavour. In fact it can hinder your sauce from sticking to your pasta.


PASTA FACTS:

Pasta Types: There are approximately 350 different kinds of pasta with the most popular arguably being spaghetti.

Pasta in Italy: The average Italian eats over 25 kilos of pasta per person each year so it has to be the best.