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My old chef said to salt the pasta water like the sea, and I still think he was off
Back when I was a line cook at a spot in Denver, my head chef would yell across the kitchen to salt the water until it tasted like the ocean. I did it for two years and my pasta always came out a little too firm and salty on the outside. Last month I tried using about half that amount and the texture was way better, the sauce actually stuck to the noodles instead of sliding off. He was a great chef but I think that old rule gets repeated without anyone checking it. Has anyone else messed with their pasta water ratio and noticed a real difference?
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danielowens4d ago
Stop salting it like the sea, that advice is way overblown and I'm glad you finally tested it. Think about what "salty as the ocean" really means, that is about 3.5 percent salt, which is insane for a pot of water you're going to drain anyway. The noodles soak up some of that salt on the outside, so you get a salty shell and a bland center, which is exactly what you described. Cutting it in half lets the starch stay a little sticky so the sauce grabs on instead of sliding off. Old kitchen sayings get passed down like gospel and nobody ever stops to question them. What ratio are you landing on now, like a small handful per big pot?
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