Wait. There are two vital tricks when making spaghetti? Really? There are tricks to making one of the easiest dishes on the planet?
As my great Italian auntie says, “Yeah, buddy.”
OK, I don’t really have an Italian auntie, but as a Texan I say that all the time.
To the tricks!
First, I hope you have made the delicious and easy meat sauce from an earlier post.
Once the sauce is made, cook the pasta (according to package directions is fine). This is my favorite brand. Who else eats a few strands before throwing them in the water?
I make sure there is enough water for my pasta to dance in, throw in a bit of salt and wait until the water is boiling before sliding in the pasta. Once pasta is in, boil for a good 7-10 minutes depending how done you prefer your noodles.
VITAL TRICKS AHEAD!
Trick #1: After the pasta is completely cooked, but before you drain in a colander, get a 1/4 cup measuring cup and dip into the pasta water (DON’T BURN YOURSELF!):
The measuring cup doesn’t have to be full, but you want most of the measurement:
Transfer the pasta water to your meat sauce and pour in:
All of it!
Mix well.
What you’re basically doing is taking the sticky pasta starch that’s in the water and mixing it with your sauce so that when you combine your pasta with your sauce, the two will marry (stick together) and be as one, forever and ever, amen. At least until its deliciousness makes its way into your stomach.
SCIENCE!
Which brings us to trick #2.
Trick #2: When your pasta is done and you drain it into a colander, DO NOT RINSE THE PASTA.
Rinsing the pasta strips it of the clingy starch left behind from the water.
Just let the pasta drain, then toss it into the pot of meat sauce and mix.
Your sauce and pasta are now married. You may kiss the cook.
Mama Mia!
Or as we say here in Texas, “Let’s eat, y’all!”