The pasta cooks in the pan it’ll be sauced in, in just enough salted water to cover it. That’s the whole trick. A big pot of water dilutes the starch the pasta gives off; a pan with a little water keeps it, and the starch is what tightens the sauce later.
The variables
- Pan. Wide and straight-sided, so long pasta lies flat and the water stays shallow.
- Water. Just enough to cover the pasta. Add a splash more if it runs low before the pasta is close. Remove water using a ladle if it’s not boiling off quickly enough.
- Salt. Salt the water as you would a pot, but a little lighter: the water reduces and becomes part of the sauce.
- Timing. The sauce goes in 2–3 minutes before the package time, and the pasta finishes in it (see Finishing pasta in the sauce).
Options
| Option | Pick it when | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Short (penne, rigatoni) | A thick sauce, like a meat sauce | Stir now and then so it doesn’t stick |
| Long (spaghetti, linguine) | A looser, oilier sauce | Lay it flat and stir regularly |
| Fresh | You have it, or made it | Skip this step; it cooks in the sauce in 2–3 minutes, with a splash of water. It brings less starch, so lean on cheese to tighten the sauce |
Notes
- Getting the ratio perfect takes some practice, but adding or removing water is trivial. I often remove 60–125 ml (¼–½ cup) of water.
- Cheese goes in at the end, off the heat (see Off the heat).