We\u2019ve already written at HuffPost UK about how much water we\u2019re really meant to use to cook pasta (I\u2019ve been doing it wrong).<\/p>\n
Turns out I\u2019ve also messed up meatballs, pasta sauce, my herb selection, and even cutting pizza.<\/p>\n
And now, it seems Italians are also upset with how some Brits boil that H2O in the first place.<\/p>\n
In a YouGov poll published in 2022, Italians were asked which non-traditional cooking behaviours they found \u201cacceptable,\u201d \u201cdivisive,\u201d and \u201cunacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Italians polled said it wasn\u2019t OK to omit salt in the liquid, but they were pretty lenient on the topic.<\/p>\n
Another boiling mistake, however, was deemed the second-worst approach, pipped to the post only by putting ketchup on the dish.<\/p>\n
Pasta company Barilla agreed, writing that you should bring salted water to a \u201crolling boil\u201d before you add the delicious carbs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis ensures even cooking once the pasta is added,\u201d they shared.<\/p>\n
Italian food company Dellalo also pointed out that bringing the water to its full boil can prevent pasta from sticking to itself (side note: you don\u2019t need to add olive oil to do this).<\/p>\n
Speaking to TODAY, pasta expert and food stylist Anthony Contrino said: \u201d\u201cBy adding pasta to boiling water, it cooks more evenly since the temperature is a constant.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you add [pasta] to cold water, first of all, the salt isn\u2019t going to dissolve quick enough to flavour the pasta and, depending on the pasta, you risk not being able to achieve al dente.\u201d<\/p>\n
my girlfriend just added uncooked pasta to cold water and then turned on the stove and when i said that she should boil the water before adding pasta she said \u201cliterally all men are the same\u201d<\/p>\n
Chef Alton Brown responded to a 2019 X post which read, \u201cmy girlfriend just added uncooked pasta to cold water and then turned on the stove and when i said that she should boil the water before adding pasta she said \u2018literally all men are the same\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis man\u2019s girlfriend is right on both counts,\u201d the culinary legend replied, pointing to his 2015 blog post, which said: \u201cStart cooking pasta in cold water for quicker cook times and extra-starchy pasta water that\u2019s perfect for finishing sauces.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, he seems to be in the minority; and as he admitted himself, the chef\u2019s preference \u201cmay be blocked from ever entering Italy again for saying… I have come to prefer the texture of dry pasta started in cold water.\u201d<\/p>\n