Italian chef explains: The correct way to cook pasta, and what you’re doing wrong

Many people believe that cooking pasta for dinner is quite simple: boil water, add a bit of olive oil, toss in the pasta, and cook it for 12 minutes. However, it turns out that it's a bit more complicated than that.

In an interview with the British publication The Mirror, an Italian chef revealed a "critical" element often overlooked when cooking pasta—the amount of water. It turns out that there's real "science" behind the required water quantity to cook the beloved Italian dish. For the perfect pasta, about 4 liters of water should be used for every 450 grams of pasta. "The more pasta you cook, the more water you need to prevent it from sticking to the pot," the expert noted. Another tip that can help in preparation is to start with cold water. "Warm water may contain more minerals from the pipes, which could give the water and the dish a metallic taste," explained the chef.

Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt to the water, but only after it has boiled. Do not add olive oil to the water or the pasta after draining. "Olive oil can prevent other sauces from sticking to the pasta," the chef advised.

The pasta and sauce manufacturer Napolina published a list of the 10 most common mistakes when preparing Italian cuisine:

1. Serving garlic bread with pasta.
2. Eating bread before the meal.
3. Eating pizzas with cheese-filled crusts.
4. Adding cheese to pasta dishes.
5. Making pizza with more than three toppings.
6. Overcooking pasta until it’s not al dente.
7. Not using pasta water when preparing the sauce.
8. Cutting spaghetti before eating.
9. Adding cream to carbonara.
10. Adding oil to the pasta cooking water.