How to Cook Pasta and Pasta Sauce?

a brief pasta guideline

By Ainaz 

“Life is too short, and I'm Italian. I'd much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.”  ­­-Sophia Bush

Pasta is undoubtedly one of the most delicious and famous Italian cuisines. Cooking this exquisite meal is not complicated. You just have to get the timing right. In this article I collected all the information you will need about how to cook pasta and how long to boil pasta. Keep on reading if you want to have a taste of an ultimate Italian restaurant in your home in less than half an hour.

How to boil pasta?

Time can be tricky in making your pasta. If you have been wondering how long to boil fresh pasta, here is your answer. First of all, you need to know that you have to make 100g of pasta per person. Now for every 100g of pasta, you will need one-liter water. Add 3 tablespoons of salt to the water and it is optional to add olive oil to the mix. Wait for the water to boil and then add your pasta. Don’t forget to stir every now and then. 

Different types of pasta need different durations of cooking. Italians say it has to be al dente, that means you have to taste the pasta and then determine if it has been cooked enough and it should feel cooked under your teeth. But in general how long to cook pasta:

Fresh pasta: boil up to 5 minutes

Thin dried durum: boil 6 to 10 minutes

Thick dried durum: boil 10 to 12 minutes

Dried angel hair pasta: boil 8 to 10 minutes

Remember to keep one cup of boiled pasta water after draining your pasta for adding a few spoons of it when you’re mixing your pasta with the pasta sauce.

How to make pasta sauce?

As we all know, this mesmerizing Italian dish is one of the easiest and fastest meals to cook. Here is the recipe of the 5 best and easiest-to-make pasta sauces ever:

1.    White sauce: how to make white pasta sauce

ingredients: 1. butter 2. garlic 3. flour 4. milk 5. broth 6. parsley 7. parmesan cheese 8. salt and pepper

the procedure: bring out a medium sized pan and melt your butter in it with medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. Then add the flour and stir constantly for a minute. Add the broth and milk while you stir. Wait for the mix to get ticker and then add parsley and parmesan cheese and wait for the cheese to melt. You can add mushrooms or other vegetables due to your preference to this mix as well.

2.    Marinara: Classic Marinara sauce will ever go out of style

Ingredients: 1. Large can of peeled tomatoes 2. Garlic 3. Onion 4. Olive oil 5. Seasoning such as oregano

The procedure: mix all the ingredients in a pan and let it simmer for 45 minutes. After that your marinara pasta sauce is ready to use!

3.    Ragu: Unlike the others, this sauce is meat based

Ingredients: 1. One onion 2. Olive oil 3. A couple of garlic cloves 4. Beef stock       Marinara sauce 5. Red wine (optional) 6. Half a liter Beef stock 7. Optional vegetables 8. Seasoning like thyme

The procedure: pour the oil in your pan and add the onion and your optional vegetables. Stir the mix every now and then for about 10 minutes. Add the meat and cook it until the color turns brown. Then add the marinara sauce, garlic and the seasoning and if you are using red wine, now is the time for you to add the alcohol. Cover the pan’s lid and put the heat to medium. Let it cook slowly for 1 hour until the beef is soft and the sauce is thick. You can add parmesan cheese at last if you like the cheesy taste.

4.    Pesto: the most famous and rich in taste

Ingredients: 1. four tablespoons of olive oil 2. Two full cups of basil 3. Minced garlic 4. A quarter cup of roasted pine nuts 5. Salt and pepper 6. Parmesan cheese 7. Lemon juice

The procedure: sauté the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat. After 5 minutes when all the pines are roasted remove them from the pan and let them cool off. Blend high quality virgin olive oil and basil leaves together. Blend them until they are mixed and not fully smooth. Add ¼ cup of pine nut, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and blend them for 30-60 seconds. And voila! you are done.

5.    Brown butter: a go-to pasta sauce

Ingredients: 1. Minced Garlic 2. A half cup of butter 3. Parsley, thyme, oregano and basil 3. Two tablespoons of parmesan cheese 4. Black pepper

The procedure: combine butter and garlic in a pan. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until you can see the butter turning brown. Stir occasionally and then remove it from the heat to mix it with the fresh vegetables and leaves you bought. Pour it on your pasta and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on your pasta. Enjoy!

Now that you are thorough

Not all of us can resist a delicious bowl of pasta. Now you know the recipe of the 5 easiest and most delicious pasta sauces ever and now you know how to cook fresh pasta. Go grocery shopping and make a delicious Italian cuisine with the true taste of Italy tonight. Enjoy!

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