Nail the perfect pasta

Italian nonna Annita Zaccheo shares her authentic tips

PASTA

Not all pasta is created equal so always use a good quality pasta. This will give you the best final outcome.

WATER

Most people don’t use enough water when they cook their pasta and this results in it sticking together. My rule is a minimum of 1 litre of water per 100g of pasta.

SALT

Pasta water must be salted. Add salt when the water reaches boiling point. This will enhance the flavour of the pasta. Add 7g of salt per litre of water.

DON’T RINSE

Never rinse pasta after it is cooked. The residual starch on the pasta is vital to allow the pasta and sauce to stick together.

PAIR IT PROPERLY

In Italy, there are more than 300 types of pasta shapes from different regions, so you need to make sure you match your pasta with your sauce correctly. Short pasta like penne will go well with chunky meats and vegetable sauces. Fettuccine and pappardelle are matched better with rich, creamy sauces and lasagne and cannelloni are suited better to baking.