How to cook pasta the italian way

You can buy several different brands of pasta. I grew up eating Barilla pasta, but DeCecco is good too (a little bit expensive, though). Different brands taste different after cooking, mainly because they have different consistency once cooked. The perfect cooked pasta doesn't have to become fluffy, but always a tiny bit uncooked ("al dente" right?) and stay firm for all the time you are eating. Once you buy the right brand of pasta, my dad's recipe for the perfect cooked pasta is simple: just follow the time that is written on the package of pasta. If it says 11 min, then watch your clock, because 11 min after you put the pasta in the boiling water, the pasta needs to be drained and it will be as close to the perfectness as you can get. That is really so simple.

A step back. Once the water is boiling in the pot ( and before putting in the pasta) add the salt. How much salt? About a tablespoon, for a large pot full of water. I use my hand to measure, see the picture... A little secret: add few drops of olive oil to the boiling water to avoid pasta attaching to one another.