Pasta Problems

[ItalianinLondon]

AIBU to wonder...

Why people don't cook their pasta in its sauce for the last two minutes? (The starch of the pasta water gives the sauce a better texture and the pasta gets better flavoured by the sauce, if you do)

Why it is considered unacceptable (by my DH) to have multiple pastas open simultaneously? (You need different types for different dishes!)

And why anyone would object to the eating of pasta 5x per week? Especially when you can buy wholegrain, spelt, etc. etc. (Not that I do, if I'm honest.)

This is an important matter, worthy of considered debate, IMHO!

Definitely. I love pasta, of all shapes and types. Will try the pasta in the sauce tip, thank you👍

omg I think I love you italianinlondon! We have multiple types of pasta (usually dried but sometimes fresh) and are very fussy about what goes with what. However, I have never been able to get my head round making my own- what's your view on that?

Completely agree with you OP!

I tried wholegrain pasta but felt more virtuous than enjoyably full.

I have failed to make a decent cacio e pepe; would be jolly grateful for any advice.

(Btw, which do you favour: Heinz or Cross & Blackwell tinned spaghetti?)

Reporting for duty!!!

yes lamarschallin agree with you about wholewheat pasta - boring and not half as nice as proper stuff

Another one reporting for duty!

Already your point one shows I have been doing it wrong since what feels the like the year dot when I first started cooking pasta in the mists of yonder time. Will add the sauce and cook for further two minutes from now on. Thank you.

The late great Marcella Hazan thought it a modern abomination to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for a minute but I have seen lots of 'celebrity' chefs - generally not Italian - do this.
But do you mean leaving the pasta not completely drained of it's cooking water before you add it to the sauce? The only way this works is to take a cupful of the pasta cooking water from the saucepan near the end of the cooking time, and keep it aside to add, bit by bit, if it's needed to the sauce and pasta.
This is usually for an uncooked sauce like a carbonara which you pour over the drained pasta in the pan , the heat of the pasta cooks the egg mixture and you can add a little of the cooking water for extra moisture and unctuousness.
Have as many shapes/packets as you like but wholemeal pasta is a crime against the great cuisine of Italy.

I never know what shape is meant to go with which sauce - so just use penne all the time

OP am I unreasonable to point out to my DM that the sauce for pasta is rather a "dressing" and swamping the pasta with sauce is a pasta crime?

I would also like to ask posters where their loyalty lies - Barilla, De Cecco or supermarket brand....

Personally I'm a De Cecco fan

Definitely De Cecco - in Italy, Barilla is considered kind of last resort. DH also has a thing about why not buy cheapest pasta. I keep telling him that it's false economy - if it doesn't have a rough surface, the sauce doesn't cling to it properly and you end up using more of it!

@DeRigueurMortis definitely not unreasonable! In a pasta dish, the main thing should be... pasta!

I'd love a brief run down of what with what.... I mean for example, @ItalianinLondon says you mustn't use presto with short pasta and I have no idea whyyyyy

I love pasta but once a week is enough!

De Cecco for me too.

Point 2 - your husband as a fellow Brit probably grew up with one packet of 40p dried pasta in his parents cupboard and it will take perhaps a lifetime to understand not only on a knowledge level but at a heart level that to have multiple packets open is normal when so many permutations of pasta are available. I am learning alongside him.

Point 3 - see above.

@Tartyflette it would depend what I'm making. If it was with passata or pesto, I'd not reserve cooking water, or only the tiniest bit. But today I made for the kids pasta with cime di rapa and tomatoes and I added like, two tablespoons for combining it nicely with the pasta.

@LaMarschallin it is easier to make cacio e pepe with the addition of pangrattato (or breadcrumbs) but some people call that a cheat!

I never know what shape is meant to go with which sauce - so just use penne all the time

Me too, except I always use fusilli. In fact, you could say I refusilli to use anything else.

I'll see myself out...

I'd love a brief run down of what with what.... I mean for example, @ItalianinLondon says you mustn't use presto with short pasta and I have no idea whyyyyy

I would love such info too. Thank you.

I'm not a big fan of rice, but love pasta, so orzo is big in this household. And it's great to add a bit of thickening and bulk to a stew if I've messed up on too much liquid.

@FagAsh to be fair, I'm technically incorrect on that because in Genoa the traditional shape for pesto Genovese is trofie, which are short. But generally, penne etc. works better with chunky sauces or ragu to balance. Pesto Genovese works very well with long, thin pasta because it will coat the strands nice and evenly.

Also, ideally not with egg pasta (tagliatelle) because the protein is already in the pesto and the combination is too rich

De cecco here.

I use pasta water to enhance my sauce. And I mix my pasta through my sauce.

I will admit to serving most pasta dishes a la Brit spag Bol in my younger days.

I don’t really ever have wholewheat pasta in the house.

I would have pasta every night.

I start boot camp tomorrow though and can sadly say I will miss pasta and bread much more than I will miss anything else.

Spiralli for the win in our house. We love spaghetti too.

Why is most macaroni tiny but the stuff you get in restaurants is much bigger?

Why is ready made spinach and ricotta cannelloni full of bloody nutmeg? My local Italian restaurant does the best cannelloni and not a hint of foul nutmeg.

I'm hoping posters will share their pasta recipes here

Also, in Genoa, it is common for the trofie and pesto to be mixed together with small potato and green bean pieces. It is a great way to make the kids eat a vegetable without noticing!

What's cacio e pepe? I'll Google, I guess.

I love pasta. I have multiple packets open.

I've recently developed an addiction to tomato and mascarpone pasta sauce from Aldi. Tesco's fresh stuff is nice too. Normally my pasta sauces are home made, especially if I can get wild garlic for garlic pesto 😍

Maccheroni are bigger. The little ones are really for soups or stews.