Don't drain away flavour: The secret of pasta water revealed
Have you ever thoughtlessly poured away the water after cooking pasta? It turns out that's a significant mistake! This "white" water can be incredibly useful in later stages of cooking or when preparing certain dishes.
As most of us know, store-bought pasta is made from flour. During cooking, pasta releases starch, which turns the water white. Pouring it away is, however, a considerable error. Starch has emulsifying properties that can be brilliantly used for making pasta sauces. Want to know how? Read on as we explain step by step.
You may have encountered the issue of layers of fat being separated in a spaghetti or another pasta sauce. Starch can come to the rescue here. Its ability to emulsify allows for a better combination of ingredients that typically do not mix. As a result, the sauce becomes smooth and uniform, enhancing its flavour.
To save pasta water, pour it into another container before draining. Importantly, you don't need to keep all the water left from cooking. Just a few tablespoons will suffice. Add it later at the appropriate moment to the sauce. Also, consider using a special colander that allows easy separation of pasta from water without wasting it.
It's also a good practice not to rinse pasta after cooking. This helps to prepare a tasty dish. By doing so, leftover starch remains on the pasta, aiding sauce emulsification. As a result, you’ll get a perfectly smooth sauce, well combined with the pasta.
Pasta should be a staple in our diet. It contains a variety of nutrients - besides protein, you'll find phosphorus, iron, and vitamins B1 and B6.
