Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in Volume IV of B.H. Magazine. To get your copy (and access to future issues), subscribe here.
I like pasta. A lot. No real surprises there, but in the early days of Tipo, my business partner Alberto said to me, "You eat pasta more than anyone I’ve ever met."
It’s true. I’m happy to eat two bowls of pasta every day. Though even if you’re not cooking (and eating) pasta as regularly as I do, to me, it needs to be done right every time. And unwittingly, most people cooking pasta at home are not doing it right, because they're cooking it in big batches.
To cook pasta properly, you should only be cooking one serve at a time. It’s what we do at Tipo and it’s why people keep coming back. Here’s how we do it.
We make the sauce and put it in the pan with one serve of pasta that’s been cooked a little short of al dente. Al dente literally means ‘to the tooth,’ a description of the texture of cooked pasta that is firm when bitten, with a slight resistance or chewiness. Hardcore Italians might like their pasta really crunchy, but fresh pasta made by hand is never going to be like that.
Then we toss the pasta with the sauce, usually for about 45 seconds, but no more than a minute because it can overcook very quickly. Tossing emulsifies the sauce, so it thickens and reaches the right consistency.
You can’t toss a pan properly if it’s overloaded with multiple serves of pasta. There’s a heat factor at play too. If you have a big mass of pasta and sauce you’re trying to stir it through, the pasta continues to cook and turns gluggy.
When you have the time and inclination you can try the Tipo technique and see what difference it makes. It takes a little more planning and will mean more washing up, but, believe me, the end result is so much better.
Note: This recipe actually makes more than you need for two people – in fact, it'll serve six generously – but the rest will last in the fridge for a few days (or in the freezer for at least a month). But if you are cooking for more than two, increase the quantities of pasta and finishing ingredients accordingly.
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