How to Cook Pasta to Perfection… Every Time

So you’ve just finished a batch of perfectly pressed tortelloni, or treated yourself to some of our world-famous mafalde. Don’t let your hard work go to waste! Fresh, restaurant-quality pasta deserves restaurant-quality cooking after all. From how to cook pasta al-dente, to the perfect serving style, here’s our fool-proof guide on how long to cook fresh pasta… Satisfaction guaranteed.

How to Cook Fresh Pasta Al Dente

Ask any chef, pasta puritan, or pastaio (a particularly fancy word for an expert pasta maker) how pasta should be cooked and you’re likely to receive the same response: al dente. And whilst this might seem like a cryptic culinary code for pasta perfection, it encapsulates everything we think pasta ought to be… But what exactly does al dente mean?

Literally meaning ‘to the tooth’, al dente refers to cooked pasta which is still firm when bitten. What’s key here is ‘still’. We want to avoid overcooking the pasta at all costs. Firm, yet tender. A middle ground, if you like. It should offer slight resistance ‘to the tooth’, but only enough to ensure a subtle and pleasantly chewy bite. 

But how, exactly, does one achieve this seemingly elusive feat? Rather than leaving it to guesswork – an ill-advised strategy that’s sure to disappoint not only yourself but those you’re cooking for- we’ve devised this simple, step-by-step process for pasta perfection. You can also watch the below video as our chef Roberta demonstrates how to cook pasta to perfection. 

Our Foolproof Guide to Cooking Fresh Pasta

Without any further ado, let’s get the ball rolling…

1. Wait for the Water to Reach a Rolling Boil

Tempting though it may be, tossing your pasta in the pot at the first available opportunity isn’t entirely the smartest of choices. When it comes to cooking pasta, what we’re after isn’t a mere simmer, but rather a rolling boil. The point to be reinforced here is rolling. Meaning, movement across the whole surface of the water; the kind that produces large, visible bubbles. This vigorous type of boil not only ensures a more even cooking process but it also helps to achieve a uniform consistency. Patience is key here, but it certainly doesn’t come without reward… Good things come to those who wait after all… 

Chef Carmelo’s Tip: Cover the pot, but be sure to leave a partial opening. Not only does this help the water to reach a boil faster, but the opening allows you to hear the rumble of the rolling boil, an indication that you’ve been patient enough and that it’s time to start cooking! 

2. Don’t Hold Back on the Salt

Salted water helps to flavour the pasta as it absorbs the salt from the water during the cooking process. It’s crucial, however, that the salt is added only once the water has reached a boil. Adding salt on a simmer will only cause unnecessary delay to the cooking process given that salted water takes longer to reach boiling point.

With regards to how much salt to add, Italian-born food writer Anna del Conte suggests 10g (2tsp) per litre of water, or as she rather poetically states, ‘the water should be as salty as the Mediterranean’. In short, copious amounts make for well-seasoned and flavourful pasta. 

3. Don’t Forget to Stir

Once submerged in the water, immediately begin to stir the pasta, as well as at regular intervals throughout. This helps to avoid each individual piece from clumping together or sticking to the side of the pot. Whilst there are those that advocate the use of oil here, we personally wouldn’t recommend it. A much easier solution is just to make sure you’re using a large enough pot, one that easily fits your precious cargo without the risk of over-boiling.

4. Timing and Testing

One of fresh pasta’s many virtues – besides taste and texture – is its extremely short cooking time. Fresh pasta – both filled and non-filled – almost never exceeds 4 minutes of actual cooking time. Its dried – and indubitably inferior – counterpart can, in many cases, exceed 15 minutes of cooking time.

It is, of course, worth bearing in mind that whilst indicated cooking times are a useful guideline, they are just that: approximations. And, in most cases, these approximations result in slightly overcooked pasta. What most fail to take into consideration is the fact that the pasta undergoes further cooking when mixed with a saucy partner.

Understanding when pasta is cooked al dente is a matter of tasting it for yourself! Having spoken to our executive chef, Carmelo, we recommend tasting fresh pasta around 2 minutes before the indicated cooking time to check if it is al dente. This should be done at least 3 times to make an accurate and informed judgement on the matter. This is pasta we’re talking about after all, and deserves all the attention it gets!

Whilst ‘al dente’ is what we’re ultimately after, it is important to make the distinction between non-filled (shapes like spaghetti, bucatini) and filled pasta (ravioli, tortellini). With non-filled pasta, we ideally want as close to ‘al dente’ as we can get. With filled pastas and gnocchi, this isn’t so important. You’ll know when filled pastas are ready when they begin to float to the top. Similarly, if the filled pasta ruptures and the contents empty into the pasta water, you’ll know you’ve overcooked it. With the non-filled variety, you’ll have to be savvy with your teeth and test as you go along.

5. Carefully Drain, Sauce and Serve