The Secret You Need to Make the BEST Pasta at Home

This is one of the very best-kept secrets when it comes to making pasta. That’s how the saying goes, right? In honor of St. Patrick’s Day I am sharing with you some strange bedfellows; my most iconic pasta and beer pairings. While I usually reach for a glass of vino when I’m serving up these dishes, today calls for a pint or two! If you want to cook like a pasta master, the best way to finish a dish is to cook your pasta to very al dente and finish the cooking within the sauce you’re pairing it with. This means the pasta should be cooked in boiling water just a little bit more than half of the recommended cooking time; it should still be slightly crunchy with a bite.

Once you reach the peak of very al dente perfection, remove the pasta from the cooking liquid (but save those tears of the gods!!) and add it to the simmering sauce. Add a bit of the pasta water and cook over a whisper of a flame, stirring the mixture gently, but with authority, like the cooking goddess you are until the pasta has cooked through and a silky, rich sauce has formed.

The Drunken Salmon + Stout!

This simple tip will truly transform your pasta dishes taking them to the next level; while the pasta dances in the sauce for the final few minutes of cooking time, it infuses each noodle with all of the love and flavor added to the sauce. Here are a few of my favorite recipes that rely on this *just gorgeous* technique.

@the_pastaqueen The Drunken Salmon, a creamy whiskey tagliolini pasta dish #whiskeypasta #thepastaqueen #quecipe ♬ original sound - The Pasta Queen

 

Pasta Alla Gricia

Pasta infused with the flavors of succulent guanciale, white wine and pecorino?  Yes, please.  The pecorino ‘fairy dust’ is essential to the success of this dish, don’t skimp on me!

@the_pastaqueen Pasta alla Gricia, the Grey Amatriciana sauce (pecorino & pepper) #gricia #pasta #pastarecipe #thepastaqueen #quickrecipes #italianfood #cooking ♬ original sound - The Pasta Queen

The Snappy Harlot

So much sass in one simple dish.  The beautiful sauce of tomatoes, capers, olives and garlic hits the spot and will keep you coming back for more!

@the_pastaqueen Watch out for the Snappy Harlot, she’s coming for you #snappyharlot #puttanesca #justgorgeous ♬ original sound - The Pasta Queen

Linguine Vongole

The real secret to Linguine Vongole is to buy the freshest, sweetest and smallest clams you can find.  The liquor they release once steamed combined with garlic, olive oil, and white wine create an irresistible sauce for the pasta to finish cooking in.

@the_pastaqueen How to make Italian Spaghetti Vongole, (with Clams) #fridaythe13th #spaghetti #clams #spaghettiallevongole #pasta #italiancooking #easyrecipe #athome ♬ original sound - The Pasta Queen