Whats the secret to cooking good pasta?
cooking the sauce on low for an extended period? What Spices? You're favorite spices to add to canned sauce?
using canned sauce because im too drunk to go to the store an i was never taught to coook
>>7823796
You bake it, silly!
>>7823796
Uhm....the PASTA needs to be right before you start worrying about the sauce. If it's extruded pasta then it needs to be through a bronze die so it gets the proper texture on the outside to hold the sauce. And of course it needs to be cooked right. If it's undercooked or overcooked the dish is going to suck regardless of how the sauce is.
As for the sauce, the cooking time depends on what type you mean.
Tomato-based sauces do need to be cooked low and slow. On the other hand, a cream type sauce (Alfredo, for example) needs to be cooked long enough that a lot of the moisture is driven out, but not so long that it splits.
>>7823796
BOIL THE WATER
ADD SALT
ADD PASTA
BOIL PER INSTRUCTIONS
INSTRUCTIONS ARE ALWAYS WRONG, LEAVE LONGER
LEARN TO RECOGNIZE AL DENTE STATE
>>7823796
If you're just talking about "Restaurant Style" pasta you need to use 2 sticks of butter per pound of pasta.
If you're using canned sauce then it's probably also low on essential oils and you will need to simmer the sauce in oil for as long as possible.
>>7823813
>LEARN TO RECOGNIZE AL DENTE STATE
reveal your secret to me. is it just practice? why is al dente desired state?
>>7823838
>is it just practice?
Yes. It's easy. Just start tasting your pasta as it gets close to the package directions and notice how the texture changes.
>why is al dente desired state?
Because if the pasta is less than al dente it's literally hard in the center and unpleasant to eat.
But if it's beyond al dente then it's textureless mush (baby food)
>>7823838
>why is al dente desired state?
Because it'll suck up some of the sauce you pour over it or mix it in with so it'll take some of that flavor. Keep in mind that, in most cases, you will need to add some of that starch-rich cloudy waster you boiled pasta in because al dente pasta will thicken whatever sauce you add it to. You never throw that water away.
Keep sauce simple, just saute some minced garlic and very finely chopped onion and then dump on tomato sauce and oregano to simmer. You can add other stuff but that's a good base to start with
I grew up on store bought Ragu-tier stuff and was blinded to how delicious ingredients actually taste when they weren't drowned in overwhelmingly strong sauce
>>7823859
how do you know if its al dente?
Do i just toss some at the wall/ceiling?
>>7823861
Al dente means "to the teeth", so you need to float some in water with at least one tooth and see if the pasta is pulled towards the teeth.
>>7823865
im too drunk to get this joke
>>7823865
>>7823860
People over-complicate their sauces to almost comical level, especially Americans with their "authentic Italian sauces". If in doubt just do aglio e olio. You literally can't fuck up that recipe and can add whatever solid chunks you want to it, as long as they're not oily.
>>7823865
>>7823861
You try a piece.
It can also be visually identified by a thin uncooked white ring inside the pasta after you bite into it. If the ring isn't present, your pasta is overcooked. If it's thick, you should keep going.
>>7823813
>LEAVE LONGER
You mean shorter, right?
>>7823861
Eat a piece once every few minutes. Once you like it, take it out and rinse it in cold water so that it doesn't continue to cook.
>>7823796
Adding browned meat, or even just bones, to the sauce and simmering for at least two hours is the best way to build flavor. As for spices, herbs, and aromatics I find it best to keep things simple. Brown your meat, set aside. Fry up some carrots and shallots for a few minutes, add garlic and red pepper flakes, fry for a few more minutes, add tomato paste, one more minute, deglaze with red wine, add your tomatoes (D.O.P./certified San Marzano tomatoes are always the best), add some more liquid(I like to use unsalted vegetable broth), add the meat back in, season it with salt and pepper, and let it simmer on low, partially covered. If it gets too thick, add more liquid. Take the meat out at the end, before you toss your pasta.
>>7823957
Would you like to live with me for free in exchange for cooking all my meals? That sounds delicious. An contrary to popular belief no escorts know how to cook
>>7823964
Only if you'll pay for my vices. I have very healthy beer, cigarette, drug, and whore habits.
>>7823970
We will get along famously.
I do drugs, drink, smoke, and fuck whores. The only things I'm not good at is cooking.
You got yourself a god damn deal
>>7823940
Not the same guy, but longer. Estimated time is always low-balling it or assuming you're finishing pasta in sauce for additional 4-5 minutes.
>>7823796
You're probably doing too much.
A good tomato sauce is very, very simple. Slowly sauté garlic in some olive oil. Add some finely chopped onions if you want, it's not necessary though. Add tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Make sure you use enough salt or it'll be bland.
Under cook the pasta, then add it to the sauce with a little butter and mix. It'll be perfectly al dente. Top with shredded fresh basil.
That's all. Don't add tons of seasonings, it doesn't need it.
>>7824007
Okay, where do you live?
>>7823796
Don't use dried pasta.
>>7824292
Ontario
>>7824398
Sorry bud.
>>7824404
God damn.
Proof god doesn't exist.
lel, jk.
But wouldn't that be magical? You could've been my cooking wing man
>>7823796
It's literally five ingredients
>Quality canned tomatoes, crushed
>Good olive oil
>Good amount of crushed Garlic
>Seasoned well with salt and pepper
Saute the garlic for a couple minutes in the olive oil just before browning, add crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper, simmer on low for at least 30 mins until its thickened. The best sauces are simple sauces.
As for the pasta, pick whichever you fucking want and cook it for the time it says on the package, taste and keep cooking it until it's just slightly firm but not mushy. You can use any pasta you like really, it's more important that it is cooked properly rather than selecting the "correct" pasta for the sauce. Don't add too much sauce either, just enough to coat the pasta nicely but there shouldn't be pools of sauce (At least I don't feel that there should).
Add red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeno with the garlic if you like it spicy
>>7824398
Not him, but I live in Toronto, cook very well, and enjoy booze and hookers.
you can post large images. it's 2016, we're not on dialup.
>>7824919
>penne lisce
>current year
>>7823943
uhh no you never rinse pasta, unless you don't want your sauce to stick
>>7825289
It gets tacky again as it cools.
i agree the sauce needs to be simple, but not having basil in your red sauce is a fucking sin. garlic, olive oil, FRESH tomatoes for the love of god, and fresh basil. don't rinse it, and finish the pasta in the sauce.
>>7824315
there are good dried pastas. rustichella is the best, it's pricey tho and really only carried at natural groceries
>>7825296
you are objectively wrong
The secret is SALT your pasta water.
>>7824919
what kinda sauce is that?
Coat al dente pasta in lots of oil/butter and tons of garlic and cheese. Put in oven safe container and coat with pasta sauce. Get it into the cracks and cover in more cheese. Bake relatively high u til browning and bubbley.
DONT FUCKING OVERCOOK IT
Protip: when the pasta tastes like it needs just another minute, because you can tell the very center isn't quite done but really close, THATS WHEN YOU TAKE IT OFF THE HEAT AND DRAIN IT. It will be perfect when you eat it 5-10 min later. If you wait until it's done in the pot it will be overcooked when you eat it.
Basic marinara is very easy. Half a white onion minced, half that amount of minced carrot and minced celery each, a few cloves minced garlic,1 T evoo, 1 tsp salt, pinch of red pepoer-- put that in a pan on low until soft, like 10 minutes. Add 1 28 oz can crushed or whole peeled tomatoes and some torn fresh basil leaves. You can eat it right away or let it cook down all day.
I made chicken parmesan from scratch this weekend and it was glorious.
>>7823957
Anchovy paste in tomato sauce is awesome, enough to give it depth and richness but not taste fishy.
