kalanamak wrote:
> Curly Sue wrote:
>>
>> On Sat, 28 Feb 2004 16:03:53 +0000 (UTC),
>> wrote:
>
>>> A handful!? Really?
>>
>> I've heard that the water is supposed to be as salty as the sea.
>> Having never had seawater, that's a little vague ;>
>>
> Never swam in the sea? Sea water is enough to burn my eyes and nose.
> Maybe the poster has small fists.
> If I put a ladelful back in the pan, I'd get watery sauce.
Nope, don't have small hands. If you use enough water the pasta will not be
salty, just taste correct. At least that is the way it is here in Italy.
If I did not salt the water enough I would get the common "è sciocco" which
means it didn't have enough salt. Adding more salt to the sauce just makes
the dish salty not flavorful.
About the ladle of water, depends on for how many people but for 4 people (1
pound of pasta) a ladle is right. If you have a watery sauce that means the
pasta is overcooked and couldn't absorb any more. If you remove the pasta
when it is almost al dente and then add the sauce then the water and let it
cook for the last minute, the water gets absorbed.
Every time I give advice on cooking pasta people have the same somments.
Every time I teach someone how to cook pasta and they taste the results they
comment instead on how the pasta tastes delicious. Many people come to
Italy and love the pasta they get here but when they get back home they can
never figure out why it doesn't taste as good. If you follow my steps it
will taste as good.
Cristina
--
Info on Moving to Italy and Driving in Italy
http://www.cristinasweb.com