Lorna at Vicenza

I personally think that they use too much of it. I have nothing against salted pasta water or a bit of salted broth in soup etc. What I don't like is the bad habit of reaching out for salt before you have even tasted your meal. I've seen the chip man wagon on market day shake half a kilo of salt over the fried chips. So unneccesary.

Blackey_Oz

If oil is added to pasta water,
inhibits the pasta's emulsification process with the sauce
and oil restricts the sauce adhering to the pasta,
just boiling water and keep water/pasta spinning a couple times, walk away.
I don't use alot of salt in the water any more.
Taught by my Sicilian Grandparents, she would salt most sauces using anchovies melted away into medium-high heated pan just prior to adding ingredients, when they're liquified, prep the sauce

Pulaski

Interesting. I shall have to experiment with "no oil" pasta.

Blackey_Oz

and never introduce the sauce to the pasta,
introduce the pasta to the sauce(in the pan)

Pulaski

Most of my pasta dishes comprise introducing the sauce to the pasta (spaghetti) which is already on the plate. Does that make me a bad person?

BTW Both my mother and my wife serve spaghetti that way, and they grew up 3,500 miles apart. FWIW Neither of them have any Italian blood.

Blackey_Oz

LOL ha ha
just try it .... once at least, add the drained but still slightly wet pasta to the pan with the sauce, on a very low heat, toss a couple of times, watch the gluten emulsify with the sauce, let me know later if you'll ever do it your old way again, trust me
Enjoy.

sunnysider

And I assume the Lei form is imperative or you'll never hear the end of it?

37100

Pasta to sauce (in the pan, off the heat) every time! Basic Italian cooking! Save a cup of the pasta water before draining in case you drain the pasta to much. This will loosen the sauce and the starch in the water will help it stick to the pasta.

Blackey_Oz

^^and there it is^^

Beasty

The reason is, oil prevents the sauce you make from sticking to the pasta