Next time you’re making pasta, keep that in mind!
Why pasta water should not be thrown away
Pour the pasta cooking water – Source: spm
Pasta is one of the main dishes of the Mediterranean and especially Italian culinary tradition. Many of us prepare them quickly, but the most famous chefs share their precious recipes for this thousand-year-old dish and advise not to throw the pasta water down the drain. Indeed, there are several ways to reuse it without wasting it.
Most chefs agree that once cooked, pasta should absolutely not lose its starch. And for that, you have to keep some of the cooking water. Discover all its other functions.
Pasta is a popular dish around the world, versatile and easy to prepare. Most pasta recipes are quick to simmer, which is why they’re the perfect choice for a quick lunch or hearty dinner. Usually the pasta is boiled in salted water and the sauce is prepared separately.
When boiling, pasta releases starch into the water. The longer we let them boil, the more starch is left in the water. Water can be used in many ways, next time you’re cooking pasta, don’t throw it away. First of all, you can use it in the preparation of sauce for your pasta. To the carbonara recipe, for example, add a spoonful of water in which the pasta was cooked during the preparation of the sauce.
Also, after draining the pasta, save a cup of cooking water, as you may need to dilute the sauce further. Pasta tends to absorb whatever sauce it is mixed with, and when it cools, it becomes dry. This can be solved by pouring some of the water in which the pasta was cooked into the pan.
Here are other uses of pasta water
Cooking pasta – Source: spm
The water you boil pasta in can also be used to boil other vegetables. Pasta water helps beans, peas and lentils soften faster and taste better. The next time you make pasta, save the water to cook the legumes in.
In addition, the water in which the pasta was boiled can be used in the preparation of various recipes. When kneading bread, pie, or pizza dough, use pasta water instead of regular water for soft, springy dough.
Besides cooking, pasta water can also be used in gardening. Save the water and, once cooled, use it to water the flowers. This water helps plants absorb nutrients from the soil more efficiently and grow healthily.
During your next pasta preparation, remember not to throw away the water, it can still be used!
