There's pasta. And then there's sauce. Put them together and you have dinner. Simple as that, right?
Not exactly.
Most pasta aficionados will tell you that the best way to do it is by finishing cooking the nearly-done pasta on the heat in its sauce with a little of the pasta-cooking water. According to that line of thinking, the starchy pasta water helps to bind and thicken the sauce, and in some cases—such as buttery or oily sauces—emulsifies it into a creamy, non-greasy coating. Here, we answer the question: Does pasta water really make a difference in your sauce?
FULL STORY: https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/does-pasta-water-really-make-difference.html
Our favorite frying pan (used here): https://amzn.to/2H9GVt6
See More Like This! How to Make Meatballs: https://bit.ly/2NK8Y2I How to Make Sous Vide Duck Confit: https://www.viveos.net/video/3bX1G-EASnM/video.html How to Shell and Eat A Lobster: https://www.viveos.net/video/oWtY4-xDI4E/video.html
Follow Us Elsewhere: /seriouseats https://twitter.com/seriouseats https://instagram.com/seriouseats https://reddit.com/r/seriouseats
Serious Eats is a leading resource for all things food and drink: meticulously tested recipes that really work; in-depth, science-based explanations of cooking techniques; detailed reviews of cooking equipment; and guides to ingredients, dishes, and cuisines. We bring a democratic yet scientific approach to cooking the best dishes, busting food myths, and delivering strong opinions on what you should eat next, where, when, and why.
I’ve been making this for years when I wanted a quick pasta without a complicated sauce.. Didn’t know it was an actual thing.
Leon Embers
4 days ago
Does this work for tomato sauces too?
Fernando Gutierrez
7 days ago
A bit of cheating, the second time you used far more water and stirred a lot more. Starch thickens and stabilizes the emulsion, but actually it is garlic what carries the emulsifiers.
ElizabethKlemm
21 days ago
I can finally make this at home now! Thank you so much! I’m embarrassed to admit that I used to just drain the pasta when it was fully cooked and then drizzle the garlic oil over it. I couldn’t ever figure out why it was greasy and wouldn’t stick to the noodles and not like what I get at restaurants 😆
maryandchild
1 months ago
Hearing a grown adult man say 'pasketti' makes my skin crawl
Julian Lai
1 months ago
Great video! I love the comparison between using regular and starchy water
Immaculate Organic Soaps
1 months ago
Will do this from now on.
Taylon
1 months ago
i just did this and it makes the pasta taste perfect. thank you.
N R
3 months ago
he didn't do it right...
Rose Monarch
3 months ago
Thank you, that was very helpful.
Marty Flagg
5 months ago
I fell asleep....
Tonicwine999
5 months ago
Sorry if this is a silly question but would you use this kind of pasta with bolognese?
Jonathan Reiser
6 months ago
Couldn't you also refine this sauce a bit by using starch powder?
Michael Grier
6 months ago
Thank you, this was the video that opened my eyes to this "reserve some of the pasta water" thing that I've questioned for quite some time.
Paul Bickley
6 months ago
Sorry, I can't handle water in my spaghetti... I am curious what kind of pans you use? Cusinart?
You didn't add parsley. He didn't add parsley. Porcodio non l'ha snaturata.
Btw start cooking the pasta first, deal with the oil when it's almost done. And try not to leave any oil in the pan when you're done, keep mixing until you it looks like melted butter and there's no more yellow.
Nine Cats
7 months ago
My advice -- get shaved, clean up and look like somebody who should be handling ingredients someone else might eat.
Communist Hippie
7 months ago
just made this :) txh for the tips
C K
7 months ago
Another Kenji recipe. What happened to him anyway?
Christian V.
7 months ago
Pro tip. NEVER....AND I MEAN NEVER.....add water to hot oil. That's the fastest way to get burned or burn someone else. Water and hot oil will cause the oil to spatter and pop. If he was in my kitchen and I saw him add water to hot oil, I would've probably fired him on the spot.
There are two safe methods for cooling oil that's become too hot. 1) remove the oil from the heat and let it cool; and/or 2) add more oil. In both instances, turn the heat down or off.
Leslie Dugger
3 days agoI’ve been making this for years when I wanted a quick pasta without a complicated sauce.. Didn’t know it was an actual thing.
Leon Embers
4 days agoDoes this work for tomato sauces too?
Fernando Gutierrez
7 days agoA bit of cheating, the second time you used far more water and stirred a lot more. Starch thickens and stabilizes the emulsion, but actually it is garlic what carries the emulsifiers.
ElizabethKlemm
21 days agoI can finally make this at home now! Thank you so much! I’m embarrassed to admit that I used to just drain the pasta when it was fully cooked and then drizzle the garlic oil over it. I couldn’t ever figure out why it was greasy and wouldn’t stick to the noodles and not like what I get at restaurants 😆
maryandchild
1 months agoHearing a grown adult man say 'pasketti' makes my skin crawl
Julian Lai
1 months agoGreat video! I love the comparison between using regular and starchy water
Immaculate Organic Soaps
1 months agoWill do this from now on.
Taylon
1 months agoi just did this and it makes the pasta taste perfect. thank you.
N R
3 months agohe didn't do it right...
Rose Monarch
3 months agoThank you, that was very helpful.
Marty Flagg
5 months agoI fell asleep....
Tonicwine999
5 months agoSorry if this is a silly question but would you use this kind of pasta with bolognese?
Jonathan Reiser
6 months agoCouldn't you also refine this sauce a bit by using starch powder?
Michael Grier
6 months agoThank you, this was the video that opened my eyes to this "reserve some of the pasta water" thing that I've questioned for quite some time.
Paul Bickley
6 months agoSorry, I can't handle water in my spaghetti... I am curious what kind of pans you use? Cusinart?
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/cuisinart-chefs-classic-stainless-steel-11-piece-cookware-set?ID=590683&pla_country=US&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=120156340000001043&CAAGID=61770717747&CATCI=aud-374536321189:pla-513945913184&cm_mmc=Google_SH_PLA_Cookware-GS_Cookware_PLA_Cuisinart-293719126719-_pg1050671861_m_kclickid__kenshoo_clickid__KID_EMPTY_1546922786_61770717747_293719126719_aud-374536321189:pla-513945913184_86279040572USA__m_KID_&trackingid=509x1050671861&m_sc=sem&m_sb=Google&m_tp=PLA&m_ac=Google_SH_PLA_Cookware&m_ag=Cuisinart&m_cn=GS_Cookware_PLA&m_pi=go_cmp-1546922786_adg-61770717747_ad-293719126719_aud-374536321189:pla-513945913184_dev-m_ext_prd-86279040572USA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkoDmBRCcARIsAG3xzl9hnSe0ZfIRSEQEgxK5cfLuIRqr_8f5_C0bgjAntBORwd_J5JCY4CMaAhJQEALw_wcB
Sax3r28
7 months agoYou didn't add parsley. He didn't add parsley.
Porcodio non l'ha snaturata.
Btw start cooking the pasta first, deal with the oil when it's almost done. And try not to leave any oil in the pan when you're done, keep mixing until you it looks like melted butter and there's no more yellow.
Nine Cats
7 months agoMy advice -- get shaved, clean up and look like somebody who should be handling ingredients someone else might eat.
Communist Hippie
7 months agojust made this :) txh for the tips
C K
7 months agoAnother Kenji recipe. What happened to him anyway?
Christian V.
7 months agoPro tip. NEVER....AND I MEAN NEVER.....add water to hot oil. That's the fastest way to get burned or burn someone else. Water and hot oil will cause the oil to spatter and pop. If he was in my kitchen and I saw him add water to hot oil, I would've probably fired him on the spot.
There are two safe methods for cooling oil that's become too hot. 1) remove the oil from the heat and let it cool; and/or 2) add more oil. In both instances, turn the heat down or off.