We lived on a sailboat for a couple of years, traveling in remote places where propane and water were hard to come by, and expensive. When I made pasta for my husband and I, I boiled a small amount of water, put the dry pasta in a large thermos, covered with boiling, lightly salted water, and closed up the thermos. Let sit for about 15 minutes or so, and the pasta was cooked just fine. You learn to adapt when resources are scarce.
Now, rethink how to reduce the number of pots and pans you're using. Take the pasta alla gricia, for example. I cook the guaciale in an enameled braiser. You did use any water in the guanciale, but a little helps render the fat without burning. I'm a big fan of your Techniquely video where you use water for mushrooms, onions, and the chicken gravy. Leave the guanciale in the pan and use a spider to transfer the pasta to the pan. Then use a ladle to add the pasta water to the pan. No draining, no colander, no measuring cup. Same idea can be used for the tubetti recipe.
That's a great idea, using minimal heat and water. Sometimes, if I'm not in a rush, I turn the heat off before the pasta has fully cooked and just let it sit in a covered pan in hot water for a while to finish. But the insulated bottle method uses even less water and heat and less space. Just add boiling water and pasta, no burner/hob needed. I should try that when camping! In places with clean seawater I wonder how cooking pasta in seawater would taste. Maybe quite good.
This is my favorite cooking series on youtube, and it's because Lan is the best teacher I've seen on here. There's other people with know how like hers, but no one is as good at getting to a granular level of detail while explaining things in a simple and engaging way. Please keep this series coming ATK, I've learned a ton from it!
I'm a biohchemistry teacher and I totally agree. I get teaching as well as cooking inspiration from Lan's videos. And yes, she is technically accurate when she talks science, too.
Your presentation style is as close to perfect as it can get. Clear, concise, informative, engaging and straight to the point. Understanding the 'whys' is one of the most important aspects - if I forget a specific I remember the 'why' an adapt accordingly!! Thanks
I swear Annie Petito is the hidden star of ATK. So many of these videos reference her recipes, from their Blondies to entrees like the one here. She's doing some good work! And Lan Lam is amazing at both teaching and presenting as usual. Thanks for the look into the noodles.
I absolutely love the tip about the reminder to save the water. That's a really good one for me, because I can't tell you how many times I have been really angry at myself for forgetting. Thank you for another episode of excellent tips and insights for even a seasoned cook.
Ms Lan (Ms Lam?) is the reason I subscribed to this channel. This, like everything she presents, looks great, and it's described in a clear, easy-to-understand way. Her camera crew deserves lots credit, too. Well done!
Well im 63 and have been cooking since I was a kid. Boy did this gal teach me a lot . I thought I knew how to cook pasta,well I do now .Thanks for this informative awesome video . Videos like this are why I love TK.
I’ve made a pot of wonderful sauce, then I’ll add a cup of water and my pasta and cook it entirely in the sauce. Oh my, it’s a wonderful way to get those things (the pasta & sauce) completely incorporated together. I’ve done this very successfully with every shape of pasta. I have only tried this using tomato based sauces though. I did this a long time ago when I was living in a tiny camper, no running water, so if I didn’t feel like walking about an acre uphill to fill a water jug from the well, I decided I’d try a lazy method. I never expected it to be a method I still use today but it is. It does take a bit longer to get the pasta fully cooked and you must check it periodically, because if the sauce becomes too thick, the pasta won’t have enough loose liquid to be cooked. So sometimes you need to add a bit of water. Also, on the same note, I don’t bother to boil my pasta for a dish that will baked in the oven. I use regular pasta, like any kind of lasagna noodles, not the ones that say you don’t need to boil them first. I don’t actually like the texture of those, so I use the regular ones. I’ve never once, in the past 40 years of doing lasagna this way, I’ve never once had it come out uncooked or gummy or anything bad at all. I make some sort of meat sauce, then I spread each noodle with ricotta cheese, and lay those right on top of the sauce, then another layer of cheese, noodles with the ricotta cheese on them and so on. How ever you want to layer things, I make sure at the end, I’ll drizzle sauce along the sides of the dish to make sure all the noodles will have enough liquid to absorb. Doesn’t need to be flooded with sauce though. Tightly cover it with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The last 20 minutes, I’ll turn the heat up to 400 degrees and uncover it so the cheese on top can brown. I’ll let it sit outside the over for about 20 minutes before I cut it. Every time it comes out beautifully, each cut square stays together, and tastes heavenly.
Cooking completely dry pasta directly in the sauce probably helps cut down cooking time too in terms of reducing a sauce/concentrating it/evaporating water because the dry pasta absorbs the liquid. Quicker less watery tomato sauce! Oh the simplicity and efficiency! Thanks for sharing! Quick quesh- would the Italians back home in the motherland disown one for doing such things? Are these actions blasphemous? Asking for a friend.
I used to do cold start pasta but I've mostly gone back to boiling start for two reasons: it's more predictable when I need to be ready to stir to avoid sticking, and it's more predictable when the pasta will finish. With cold start, unless you use the same quantity of water and pasta every time, the time it takes to cook will vary because it will come to a boil faster or slower. Sometimes that's fine, but usually I'm running around the kitchen prepping the sauce and sides and I want to know exactly when the pasta will be done in advance so it can go on the table within a minute or two.
I'm the same as you. When it comes to cooking I really value predictability. Although that just might be a sign that I'm not good enough of a cook yet to be able to experiment and then save my meal if it goes off the rails lol
Cooking dry pasta is rehydration + denaturing protein. So you could take out the guess work of your pasta cooking by using a thermometer. For full doneness once your water hits 83C/180F, you start your timer to whatever it says on the box for how cooked you want it. So no matter how much water you added, it's always the same. The added benefit of cold start is it uses less water, is faster, and you end up with a more concentrated pasta water to get a sauce with a better mouthfeel when you add the water to your sauce. The other added benefit is that if you're cooking long pasta and do it in a large flat pan, the whole noodle cooks evenly at the same time rather than parts of it cooks until you can submerge the rest in your boiling water unless you have some specialty super tall pasta pot
I agree. Further , boiling pasta for 8 minutes or whatever is hardly a huge burden needing to be demystified. It’s probably the easiest kitchen task of all. It’s not like cooking a turkey in 2 hours instead of 4.
@@oldcowbb that's not how boiling water or protein denaturization works. 1 drop of water and 10,000 gallons of water all boil at the same temperature. It is not a variable. 180 degree water on your stove and 180 degree water on my stove is the same.
Worth testing. I've used a method I learned decades ago. Bring water to a boil, enough to allow the pasta to 'swim' but I it's probably about 2 quarts or less. Add the pasta and stir for about a minute so it softens and will no longer stick to itself. Turn off the heat, put a lid on the pot and cook about the same amount of time you would for pasta being boiled. Has worked fine for me for years.
I'm curious for you to try the soak method... You soak the dry pasta in cold water for a few HOURS in advance of cooking. It rehydrates the pasta but is supposed to be more forgiving in terms of under-/over-absorption. You can then cook it entirely in your sauce, or for carbonara/pesto, you can cook it basically like fresh pasta. A lot of the starch is in the cold water so you can just use that depending. I've tried it and I really like it! It's less good for larger shapes - cooking rehydrated rigatoni, they end up flat and don't hold their shape entirely. For spaghetti, buccatini, linguini, orzo.. It works very well.
I never cook pasta in large amounts of water! Usually just two fingers above the pasta. It's difficult to say just how much depending on the pasta and the pot you are using. I've been coking for over 40 years. I guess it's just trial and error. My Great Aunt from Italy taught me when I was young. We would spend hours in the kitchen making, "Sunday Sauce", fresh pasta, braciole, etc. It was always a seven course meal and I learned a great deal about cooking and the way to use spices and herbs to get the depth of flavor. I love you for bringing me back to those days! Thanks for sharing!
Yay! There's lots of times when I'm using salty ingredients where I skip adding salt altogether. You need to consider the amount of salt that's already getting incorporated into your dish before you start tossing in more salt. Thank you, Lan, for addressing this issue.
Love your teaching style. Straight forward & easy to follow. Never knew there was a difference making the pasta. Bronze/teflon You’re definitely a pro at what you do !!
@@brentbeacham9691 It's been available at grocery stores in my small city for ages. If you look at the "premium" pasta at your store, you might see some bronze die pasta you've been overlooking.
Wow, Lan Lam, this episode of Techniquely blew my mind! Your innovative approach to cooking pasta challenges everything we thought we knew about achieving the perfect dish. I loved how you fearlessly experimented with different cooking methods, showcasing how even small tweaks can make a huge difference in texture and flavor. Your passion for pasta and dedication to finding the best techniques truly shines through in this video. I can't wait to try out some of these unconventional methods in my own kitchen and see just how much they elevate my pasta game. Keep breaking those rules and inspiring us all to think outside the pot!
I break all the rules by cooking all my pasta in the microwave in an anyday cookware pan. From Cacio e pepe to Carbonara to Spaghetti, it's the only way I cook pasta. Less time, less cleanup, better pasta!
Just to contribute for anyone interested. I remember being exposed to a cold start on an episode of good eats featuring caccio e peppe (props for the credit to alton). I haven't looked back since. This method has the advantage of a more concentrated, starchy pasta water. I also found it offers more leniency for par cooking pasta in advance to be cooled then picked up later. It allows the pasta to be tender but still retain a tooth, so there is more margin for error on reheat and for holding after saucing. Thank you for spreading the word, this has become the way i do pasta at home and professionally for catering. Worth noting i have not had success with alternative pastas such as chickpea or non- dried pastas (though my brother has had success with rice pastas i think). I personally like this method also for things like a robust chunky tomato sauce or a meat sauce/cacciatorre (even something with chunky vegetables like artichoke or olive) . For these applications I've taken to not tossing the pasta in the sauce, but rather coating while still hot with extra virgin and fresh herb like parsley/ basil/ scallion. The coating of oil further accentuates the tooth of the pasta while emphasizing the rusticness of the sauce on top, leaving the 2 to combine while being eaten. It can create a lot of dimension for the diner, i highly recommend it! Thank you!!!
To save 15 minutes heating 4 litres of water, just boil it in an electric kettle then throw it in the pot. Even if you need two batches, the water is boiling in half the time
I learned this as the Alton Brown pasta cooking method. Cold water start… wait to boil… simmer for 3 min once boiling… perfectly cooked every time! Also mix the powdered cheese packet into the cooking liquid of boxed Mac & Cheese… so much better than mixing in at the end!
One pot chicken and mushroom pasta is a hit at my house. Chicken stock, cream and pasta cooked together in the same pot where I cooked the chicken and mushrooms then cheese and parsley.
There is a valid Italian method of cooking pasta called Pasta Risotatta, which is basically pasta cooked like risotto, where the water is added a bit at a time to toasted pasta, until all of it is absorbed and all the pasta is done. I don't think of this alternative way as "breaking the rules", it's just a different set of valid rules. If this is even a method found among Italian cooks, I say it is totally valid.
Forget about boiling, we Moroccans like to steam our Pasta! Whether it's couscous or angel hair, we use a special pot to steam the pasta. The pot has 2 parts. The bottom is a stock pot where the sauce is simmering and the top part is a steamer for the pasta. This method takes a lot longer than boiling the pasta but the texture is worth it!
I sometimes cook the pasta straight in homemade sauce. I made up a 1 pot recipe for using some of my home grown vegetables. I first cook some italian sausage and make sure it gets a little crispy in the pan, set it aside. Lightly brown some minced garlic in the pot and then just toss some chopped tomatoes in (these are usually frozen, so I peel the skins and then rough chop them) and then I also add about 1/2 of a roasted pumpkin in. These are pretty watery and help to deglaze all the goodness at the bottom of the pot. Once everything is warm, I mash it all together and add salt , pepper, and herbs. Then pour about a cup or two of water in, add set aside sausage and the pasta. Once the pasta is cooked through, its ready to serve topped with parm. The pasta takes a little longer to cook in the sauce, but it is perfectly seasoned and the sauce isn't watery from the vegetables or greasy from the sausage. And the best part is I only used one pot for the whole meal!
I think I like the idea of tomatoes with pumpkin or butternut squash and will try that! Ms. Morris, may I recommend an element of writing that may help your future written communications in text messages, emails, comments, and so on, and will hopefully improve and enrich your life even if ever so slightly: Paragraph breaks. “These breaks provide readers with visual cues that help them navigate the text and understand its organization.” Now you may suspect that I am an English teacher or an editor. I am neither. I am a man with way too much time on his hands who loves excruciating minutiae. Please UA-cam the SNL sketch for “First CityWide Change Bank.” I love you. Thank you for letting me waste your time.
So interesting. I noticed on other channels, the older Italian ladies don’t use that much water in the pasta cooking. They were on to something. Thanks, Lan. Will try your ideas.
I love her technical focus! My regular pasta method is boiling water in the electric kettle, then into the pot, add pasta and turn off stove once pasta has come to a boil. The water is just enough to cover the pasta. With the lid on, the heat is enough to gently cook the pasta in almost the regular time. Just enough time to make the sauce in the meantime. Fast, delicious, and predictable results!
Excellent info, thank you! I just learned about the Teflon die or bronze die because I recently purchased a bronze die cut pasta. That pasta tasted light years better than my usual, what I now know is Teflon die cut.
I just love her articulation, she speaks English flawlessly; When she says Rigatoni she pronounces the O like she's from Northeast Philly. Where're you from Lan ? Uh, just googled , your from Ca., yea, can hear it a bit. Keep up the great work !
@@otterdonnelly9959 not all pasta is noodles. Yes, noodles were invented in Asia before they were invented in Europe, but I reckon Italians are rightly perceived as the masters of pasta. It’s the same with tomatoes: originally from the Americas, but everyone wants Italian San Marzano tomatoes…
@@soffici1 I guess Orecchiette or Conchiglie aren’t but she is very clearly cooking noodles in this video. And she clearly is a master of that. All I was originally commenting on. San Marzanos are great for certain things (in sauce or dried) but there are plenty of people who prefer a hearty Purple Cherokee or Brandywine for other applications. Don’t let a DOP try to convince you some food is inherently always better.
Fried Macaroni Cast iron skillet, on medium high heat, cover bottom with elbow macaroni. Just cover with water. Boil until water is mostly evaporated and stir. Add oil to the same pot, approximately 2 tablespoons…I use what I have. Now you are frying the macaroni, and are wanting some color on the pasta. Add in 2 eggs to scramble in with the elbows. Light golden brown! We eat this with ketchup. The back story is, my husband’s widowed Russian German grandmother had 5 growing boys. They farmed. This was a cheap meal she could make. It’s actually good! Could probably be better!😊. Love your cooking shows!!
Reminds me of Vietnamese Stir-Fried Macaroni! Basically stir-fried macaroni with onions, garlic, soy sauce, and a protein of your choice. Some variations have bok choy and carrots and bell peppers and peas and tomatoes or tomato paste and oyster or fish sauce, maybe fresh herbs and scallions, or so this AI chat-bot would have us believe. Fat-oil coated macaroni is so good. Carbs demand fats! Potatoes demand milk butter cream! We will march on this issue!
Thanks for the pasta lesson, Lan! I frequently use less water than the classic method prescribes, mostly 'cause I'm lazy/impatient. Now I know that sometimes it's the better method!
These methods are good and proven to work by plenty of chefs. Very helpful video for pasta cooking novices. The only thing I’d add is pasta water should always be salted, even if you are using salty things like cheese or cured meats. Nobody wants to take a bite of a bland, non-seasoned piece of pasta.
I like to cook macaroni in just covered water as soon as the water is about evaporated, I then turn it into mac n cheese. One pot! So good. I also make lasagna by not cooking the noodles beforehand. I just makes the sauce a little watered down by adding up to 2 cups of water. Comes out amazing. You can also do the same with pasta in the oven. Add a little extra water to the sauce and bake till aldenti. I like to cook fast and easy.
Love it 💕. I lived in a studio apartment for several years & can make pasta in the microwave. It turns out really good 😊. You have to heat the water then add the pasta. Stir a couple times. It takes about 10 minutes.
OK, let's be clear: I'm wild about Ms. Lam. Yeah, I am. If I saw this video and topic with any name other than Lan Lam I wouldn't give it a second glance. (Worth noting I'm the guy at the back of the room jumping up and down, waving my arms advocating for the next "food group" to be olive oil, garlic, parm and crushed red pepper as building blocks) My love for all things pasta knows no bounds, the simpler and more rustic the better. So when Ms. Lam puts out content I'm all in! I can be sure she and her team have done the requisite work and there's something to be learned. Another great presentation, thank you!
There are some methods in this video that Italians would call "cardinal sins" of Italian cooking, but I, an Italian, will try them anyway. No matter how different and untraditional (to Italians) your methods are, the end result still looked delicious - and I'm sure they tasted just as great!
Lan, I always learn so much from your videos. The one on how to use the power function on the microwave has been a real game changer. I have a feeling this one with the pasta will be too.
My mother-in-law worked at a factory that made boxed dry pasta. On the box they recommended boiling the water and dumping in the pasta (the amount of water did not seem to matter). Bring to a rolling boil for three minutes and put a lid on!? Let it sit for 10 or more minutes. It comes out perfect every time. I like to use this method if I am cooking a sauce from scratch. By the time the sauce is done - sometimes taking more time than I anticipated - the pasta in the covered pot is waiting to be added to the sauce.
Yeah to cook pasta you just stick it in boiling water until it's done. But the water/salt ratio is important for seasoning it, bland or oversalted pasta is a sad time. And it's especially important if you're using the pasta water in your sauces (you should!) which is what this video is about really - controlling the starch and salt levels to make the sauce really come together. Box instructions don't usually care about any of that
I like making mine in the oven (I am lazy). I have a large Pyrex 9 x 13 clear glass baking dish. I throw in dried pasta (I like Barilla, but will sometimes use the store brand) I then add a jar of favorite tomato based pasta sauce, then I fill the jar almost to the top put in the lid and shake add this to the pasta, stir to mix, you can also add cooked meat, and add just enough extra water to cover the pasta. Put it in the oven covered with aluminum wrap and bake at 325 - 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes (Adjust for your oven). I have an electric oven.
Another method I’ve learned is from Marianne Esposito’s recipe for fried penne. She first browns the pasta in oil and then adds just enough broth to cover. When the broth is almost completely absorbed , you add a sauce to complete the cooking. Always perfect pasta and the browning adds a nuttiness to the dish. Thanks for the various alternatives. Pasta is really very versatile.
I have found after all these years, one pan pasta recipes (using a lot less water) produces a creamy al dente delicious pasta. I rarely boil pasta anymore, love your videos. Ty
Use a slow cooker 12-24 hours with roasted bones. Salt and seasoning as you like. I find just salted is good because I can use it for more things and seasoning it as needed
Thanks for this. I learned a lot! I do a cold start with my lasagna noodles. I actually cook them in a pan, to use less water. As soon as the water starts to boil, I turn off the heat. The lasagne has absorbed some water, but is still stiff enough to use easily.
Amazing video. I was skeptical about changing anything about cooking pasta. I married into an Italian family and lived there for years. 🙏 Learned a lot.
It's very useful and enjoyable to watch chef Lan Lam :) Lovely advice in the end - every pasta cooks differently and you have to think what shape you're using, what sauce and what you want to get as the result - and adapt! I'm glad you kept the bloopers, they make chef Lan even more relatable :)
Most times, I don't drain my pasta, I remove the pasta from the pot with a spider, leaving the water behind so I have easy access to it. When it comes to stranded pasta, I remove it with a spaghetti 'fork', also leaving the water behind in the pot. Of course, if I am finishing the dish in the pot I cooked the pasta, then yes, I will drain it, saving some of the water. Other than that, I believe that whatever works for you is what you should do. Other than add oil to the pasta water. If you do that, you should be forcibly removed from the kitchen. :)
Why all the pasta straining? You must really like dishes. Use a spider or pasta scoop to transfer it directly from the pot into your sauce. Who likes washing strainers? Plus you'll have a nice hot pot of pasta water sitting there for you.
I like to use little water, no salt, and when the pasta is al dente, drain 2/3 of the water, lower the heat way down, add salt, and slosh the pasta around in the pan for a while with a silicone spon, gently not to break the pasta, and finish cooking this way. In the end, drain all the water, add olive oil and or butter, and do some more sloshing just in case. The pasta gets really starchy and creamy just that way, so for seafood, where no cheese is used, it works perfectly.
I love your cooking videos and there is some great advice here BUT your cheese is splitting in the Alla Gricia. The reason this happens is because the pan is too hot. You're not cooking the cheese, you're just slightly warming it up. Chances are the pot didn't have enough time to cool down before you added the cheese. You can see it becoming stringy in the video and the way it sticks to the spoon instead of combining into the sauce. It's a common mistake when non-italians make italian recipes. I don't know why. Just about every American youtube chef makes the same mistake.
We lived on a sailboat for a couple of years, traveling in remote places where propane and water were hard to come by, and expensive. When I made pasta for my husband and I, I boiled a small amount of water, put the dry pasta in a large thermos, covered with boiling, lightly salted water, and closed up the thermos. Let sit for about 15 minutes or so, and the pasta was cooked just fine. You learn to adapt when resources are scarce.
Great tip thank you for sharing
Now, rethink how to reduce the number of pots and pans you're using. Take the pasta alla gricia, for example. I cook the guaciale in an enameled braiser. You did use any water in the guanciale, but a little helps render the fat without burning. I'm a big fan of your Techniquely video where you use water for mushrooms, onions, and the chicken gravy. Leave the guanciale in the pan and use a spider to transfer the pasta to the pan. Then use a ladle to add the pasta water to the pan. No draining, no colander, no measuring cup. Same idea can be used for the tubetti recipe.
That's a great idea, using minimal heat and water. Sometimes, if I'm not in a rush, I turn the heat off before the pasta has fully cooked and just let it sit in a covered pan in hot water for a while to finish. But the insulated bottle method uses even less water and heat and less space. Just add boiling water and pasta, no burner/hob needed. I should try that when camping!
In places with clean seawater I wonder how cooking pasta in seawater would taste. Maybe quite good.
@@Paelorian Very salty it is, it's the double ratio of salt to water. You can thin it out with fresh water though.
as a fellow sailor I take your tip
This is most instructive cooking series available. Lan Lam is a great teacher. It's incredible that this is free!
The more she talks the sexier she gets which is the exact opposite of most women.
It's filmed from the PBS TV series.
This feels like Kenji's seriouseats stuff remade
This is my favorite cooking series on youtube, and it's because Lan is the best teacher I've seen on here. There's other people with know how like hers, but no one is as good at getting to a granular level of detail while explaining things in a simple and engaging way. Please keep this series coming ATK, I've learned a ton from it!
I'm a biohchemistry teacher and I totally agree. I get teaching as well as cooking inspiration from Lan's videos. And yes, she is technically accurate when she talks science, too.
Q: Did you ever use the sea water to cook your pasta?
It's filmed from the PBS TV series.
So far I love it! Reminds me of how practical Kenji is too. 💋
Lan Lam is such a gastronomical technician it's fantastic. I *ALWAYS* learn something important while watching her videos.
She's awesome! A have a total culinary crush on her
A brilliant and natural teacher. Could have been my Nana.
Clear explanations a a joy in teaching. Love how happy she is when she tastes at the end.
I love her diction. So calm and clear.
Lan Lam is the best thing about this channel! Love the way she presents all these technical details.
Hell yes I'm commenting before even watching. Lan Lam is always a must click.
As a longtime fan of ATK, as much as I love their recipes, the techniques you learn are the absolute gold. This video is a perfect example.
Truth! I often adapt recipes to my taste and circumstances just based on their test results!
Your presentation style is as close to perfect as it can get. Clear, concise, informative, engaging and straight to the point. Understanding the 'whys' is one of the most important aspects - if I forget a specific I remember the 'why' an adapt accordingly!! Thanks
I always get excited when there's a new upload featuring Lan Lam.
Lan's presentation is the best. I really enjoy her videos.
There's something about Lan's soft-voiced rebel attitude. She's amazing!
I swear Annie Petito is the hidden star of ATK. So many of these videos reference her recipes, from their Blondies to entrees like the one here. She's doing some good work! And Lan Lam is amazing at both teaching and presenting as usual. Thanks for the look into the noodles.
I absolutely love the tip about the reminder to save the water. That's a really good one for me, because I can't tell you how many times I have been really angry at myself for forgetting. Thank you for another episode of excellent tips and insights for even a seasoned cook.
Ms Lan (Ms Lam?) is the reason I subscribed to this channel. This, like everything she presents, looks great, and it's described in a clear, easy-to-understand way. Her camera crew deserves lots credit, too. Well done!
I absolutely love Lan Lam's videos. She's making me look like I know what I'm doing in the kitchen! More of these please!
Well im 63 and have been cooking since I was a kid. Boy did this gal teach me a lot . I thought I knew how to cook pasta,well I do now .Thanks for this informative awesome video . Videos like this are why I love TK.
I’ve made a pot of wonderful sauce, then I’ll add a cup of water and my pasta and cook it entirely in the sauce. Oh my, it’s a wonderful way to get those things (the pasta & sauce) completely incorporated together. I’ve done this very successfully with every shape of pasta. I have only tried this using tomato based sauces though. I did this a long time ago when I was living in a tiny camper, no running water, so if I didn’t feel like walking about an acre uphill to fill a water jug from the well, I decided I’d try a lazy method. I never expected it to be a method I still use today but it is. It does take a bit longer to get the pasta fully cooked and you must check it periodically, because if the sauce becomes too thick, the pasta won’t have enough loose liquid to be cooked. So sometimes you need to add a bit of water.
Also, on the same note, I don’t bother to boil my pasta for a dish that will baked in the oven. I use regular pasta, like any kind of lasagna noodles, not the ones that say you don’t need to boil them first. I don’t actually like the texture of those, so I use the regular ones. I’ve never once, in the past 40 years of doing lasagna this way, I’ve never once had it come out uncooked or gummy or anything bad at all. I make some sort of meat sauce, then I spread each noodle with ricotta cheese, and lay those right on top of the sauce, then another layer of cheese, noodles with the ricotta cheese on them and so on. How ever you want to layer things, I make sure at the end, I’ll drizzle sauce along the sides of the dish to make sure all the noodles will have enough liquid to absorb. Doesn’t need to be flooded with sauce though. Tightly cover it with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The last 20 minutes, I’ll turn the heat up to 400 degrees and uncover it so the cheese on top can brown. I’ll let it sit outside the over for about 20 minutes before I cut it. Every time it comes out beautifully, each cut square stays together, and tastes heavenly.
Cooking completely dry pasta directly in the sauce probably helps cut down cooking time too in terms of reducing a sauce/concentrating it/evaporating water because the dry pasta absorbs the liquid. Quicker less watery tomato sauce! Oh the simplicity and efficiency! Thanks for sharing!
Quick quesh- would the Italians back home in the motherland disown one for doing such things? Are these actions blasphemous? Asking for a friend.
@@qri3522 haha. Just came here from a video about cooking pasta in a skillet and it definitely stirred up some Italians.
I used to do cold start pasta but I've mostly gone back to boiling start for two reasons: it's more predictable when I need to be ready to stir to avoid sticking, and it's more predictable when the pasta will finish. With cold start, unless you use the same quantity of water and pasta every time, the time it takes to cook will vary because it will come to a boil faster or slower. Sometimes that's fine, but usually I'm running around the kitchen prepping the sauce and sides and I want to know exactly when the pasta will be done in advance so it can go on the table within a minute or two.
I'm the same as you. When it comes to cooking I really value predictability.
Although that just might be a sign that I'm not good enough of a cook yet to be able to experiment and then save my meal if it goes off the rails lol
Cooking dry pasta is rehydration + denaturing protein. So you could take out the guess work of your pasta cooking by using a thermometer. For full doneness once your water hits 83C/180F, you start your timer to whatever it says on the box for how cooked you want it. So no matter how much water you added, it's always the same.
The added benefit of cold start is it uses less water, is faster, and you end up with a more concentrated pasta water to get a sauce with a better mouthfeel when you add the water to your sauce. The other added benefit is that if you're cooking long pasta and do it in a large flat pan, the whole noodle cooks evenly at the same time rather than parts of it cooks until you can submerge the rest in your boiling water unless you have some specialty super tall pasta pot
I agree. Further , boiling pasta for 8 minutes or whatever is hardly a huge burden needing to be demystified. It’s probably the easiest kitchen task of all. It’s not like cooking a turkey in 2 hours instead of 4.
not just the quantity of water, the power of the stove also comes into play, it's just way too many variables
@@oldcowbb that's not how boiling water or protein denaturization works. 1 drop of water and 10,000 gallons of water all boil at the same temperature. It is not a variable. 180 degree water on your stove and 180 degree water on my stove is the same.
Worth testing. I've used a method I learned decades ago. Bring water to a boil, enough to allow the pasta to 'swim' but I it's probably about 2 quarts or less. Add the pasta and stir for about a minute so it softens and will no longer stick to itself. Turn off the heat, put a lid on the pot and cook about the same amount of time you would for pasta being boiled. Has worked fine for me for years.
I recently learned this method and love it. It's the only way I cook pasta anymore
I'm curious for you to try the soak method... You soak the dry pasta in cold water for a few HOURS in advance of cooking. It rehydrates the pasta but is supposed to be more forgiving in terms of under-/over-absorption. You can then cook it entirely in your sauce, or for carbonara/pesto, you can cook it basically like fresh pasta. A lot of the starch is in the cold water so you can just use that depending.
I've tried it and I really like it! It's less good for larger shapes - cooking rehydrated rigatoni, they end up flat and don't hold their shape entirely. For spaghetti, buccatini, linguini, orzo.. It works very well.
I never cook pasta in large amounts of water! Usually just two fingers above the pasta. It's difficult to say just how much depending on the pasta and the pot you are using. I've been coking for over 40 years. I guess it's just trial and error. My Great Aunt from Italy taught me when I was young. We would spend hours in the kitchen making, "Sunday Sauce", fresh pasta, braciole, etc. It was always a seven course meal and I learned a great deal about cooking and the way to use spices and herbs to get the depth of flavor. I love you for bringing me back to those days! Thanks for sharing!
I use an electric kettle to bring the water to a boil first. It's a lot quicker than using the stove, and uses a lot less energy.
Love how you teach Ms Lam ❤
She’s a great presenter, isn’t she? Bravo! ATK is a great societal asset 😊
Every minute, I wanted to hit the like button again. So many pasta cooking tips! Brilliant
Yay! There's lots of times when I'm using salty ingredients where I skip adding salt altogether. You need to consider the amount of salt that's already getting incorporated into your dish before you start tossing in more salt. Thank you, Lan, for addressing this issue.
Lan Lam hit it out of the park again!
I am an old kitchen guy. This channel is incredible!
Lan is so legit. You guys have a really impressive crew of people who work for you.
Love your teaching style. Straight forward & easy to follow. Never knew there was a difference making the pasta. Bronze/teflon
You’re definitely a pro at what you do !!
Bronze pasta will now start showing up in your local grocery store
@@brentbeacham9691it's probably been there all along, just look for the expensive, artisan stuff.
@@brentbeacham9691 It's been available at grocery stores in my small city for ages. If you look at the "premium" pasta at your store, you might see some bronze die pasta you've been overlooking.
Brilliant! Lan, you are a wonderful teacher, with a great sense of humor 🤣♥️
Lan Lam once again blows my mind and expands my thinking in the kitchen.
Wow, Lan Lam, this episode of Techniquely blew my mind! Your innovative approach to cooking pasta challenges everything we thought we knew about achieving the perfect dish. I loved how you fearlessly experimented with different cooking methods, showcasing how even small tweaks can make a huge difference in texture and flavor. Your passion for pasta and dedication to finding the best techniques truly shines through in this video. I can't wait to try out some of these unconventional methods in my own kitchen and see just how much they elevate my pasta game. Keep breaking those rules and inspiring us all to think outside the pot!
I break all the rules by cooking all my pasta in the microwave in an anyday cookware pan. From Cacio e pepe to Carbonara to Spaghetti, it's the only way I cook pasta. Less time, less cleanup, better pasta!
Does this seem like an AI generated comment to anyone else?
Yes! I was thinking that reads like a paid for comment, lol.
I LOVE LAN LAM! One of the best editions to Cooks Country.
Hello Ms. Lam, I always love watching and learning from you...
Just to contribute for anyone interested. I remember being exposed to a cold start on an episode of good eats featuring caccio e peppe (props for the credit to alton). I haven't looked back since. This method has the advantage of a more concentrated, starchy pasta water. I also found it offers more leniency for par cooking pasta in advance to be cooled then picked up later. It allows the pasta to be tender but still retain a tooth, so there is more margin for error on reheat and for holding after saucing. Thank you for spreading the word, this has become the way i do pasta at home and professionally for catering.
Worth noting i have not had success with alternative pastas such as chickpea or non- dried pastas (though my brother has had success with rice pastas i think).
I personally like this method also for things like a robust chunky tomato sauce or a meat sauce/cacciatorre (even something with chunky vegetables like artichoke or olive) . For these applications I've taken to not tossing the pasta in the sauce, but rather coating while still hot with extra virgin and fresh herb like parsley/ basil/ scallion. The coating of oil further accentuates the tooth of the pasta while emphasizing the rusticness of the sauce on top, leaving the 2 to combine while being eaten. It can create a lot of dimension for the diner, i highly recommend it!
Thank you!!!
To save 15 minutes heating 4 litres of water, just boil it in an electric kettle then throw it in the pot. Even if you need two batches, the water is boiling in half the time
I learned this as the Alton Brown pasta cooking method. Cold water start… wait to boil… simmer for 3 min once boiling… perfectly cooked every time!
Also mix the powdered cheese packet into the cooking liquid of boxed Mac & Cheese… so much better than mixing in at the end!
One pot chicken and mushroom pasta is a hit at my house. Chicken stock, cream and pasta cooked together in the same pot where I cooked the chicken and mushrooms then cheese and parsley.
I always enjoy ATK and Cook's Country, but I especially enjoy Lan Lam's segments. Great as always! Thank you!
There is a valid Italian method of cooking pasta called Pasta Risotatta, which is basically pasta cooked like risotto, where the water is added a bit at a time to toasted pasta, until all of it is absorbed and all the pasta is done. I don't think of this alternative way as "breaking the rules", it's just a different set of valid rules. If this is even a method found among Italian cooks, I say it is totally valid.
Forget about boiling, we Moroccans like to steam our Pasta! Whether it's couscous or angel hair, we use a special pot to steam the pasta. The pot has 2 parts. The bottom is a stock pot where the sauce is simmering and the top part is a steamer for the pasta.
This method takes a lot longer than boiling the pasta but the texture is worth it!
Can you point me to a photo of the pot or a name and website? Thanks.
@@alicekramden8640 look up Moroccan Couscousier(couscous maker)
Hmm, you could probably do this with a stock pit and a fit-in collander. I will try this and report back.
I’m going to do your method ❤
So informative. You are very easy to listen to. I could listen to you all day !
I sometimes cook the pasta straight in homemade sauce. I made up a 1 pot recipe for using some of my home grown vegetables. I first cook some italian sausage and make sure it gets a little crispy in the pan, set it aside. Lightly brown some minced garlic in the pot and then just toss some chopped tomatoes in (these are usually frozen, so I peel the skins and then rough chop them) and then I also add about 1/2 of a roasted pumpkin in. These are pretty watery and help to deglaze all the goodness at the bottom of the pot. Once everything is warm, I mash it all together and add salt , pepper, and herbs. Then pour about a cup or two of water in, add set aside sausage and the pasta. Once the pasta is cooked through, its ready to serve topped with parm. The pasta takes a little longer to cook in the sauce, but it is perfectly seasoned and the sauce isn't watery from the vegetables or greasy from the sausage. And the best part is I only used one pot for the whole meal!
I think I like the idea of tomatoes with pumpkin or butternut squash and will try that!
Ms. Morris, may I recommend an element of writing that may help your future written communications in text messages, emails, comments, and so on, and will hopefully improve and enrich your life even if ever so slightly:
Paragraph breaks. “These breaks provide readers with visual cues that help them navigate the text and understand its organization.”
Now you may suspect that I am an English teacher or an editor. I am neither. I am a man with way too much time on his hands who loves excruciating minutiae.
Please UA-cam the SNL sketch for “First CityWide Change Bank.” I love you. Thank you for letting me waste your time.
So interesting. I noticed on other channels, the older Italian ladies don’t use that much water in the pasta cooking. They were on to something. Thanks, Lan. Will try your ideas.
I love her technical focus!
My regular pasta method is boiling water in the electric kettle, then into the pot, add pasta and turn off stove once pasta has come to a boil. The water is just enough to cover the pasta. With the lid on, the heat is enough to gently cook the pasta in almost the regular time. Just enough time to make the sauce in the meantime. Fast, delicious, and predictable results!
I'm a simple man, I see Lan in a video and I immediately click on it because I know whatever she has to say is going to blow my mind.
You have the best series on this channel. Well, you and Dan. But I love your series!!
Excellent info, thank you! I just learned about the Teflon die or bronze die because I recently purchased a bronze die cut pasta. That pasta tasted light years better than my usual, what I now know is Teflon die cut.
America’s Test Kitchen’s chefs seem to be very down to earth, knowledgeable, and genuine. I trust every recipe, and technique they teach-
Lan Lam is simply the best!
OMG YES!! Finally someone as obsessed with pasta and how to cook it as I am. Thank you!!
I had no idea! Looking forward to saving time and energy and having a silkier pesto result. Win win win!
More Lan Lam videos please - most packed, useful, to the point cooking content across all of youtube!
I just love her articulation, she speaks English flawlessly; When she says Rigatoni she pronounces the O like she's from Northeast Philly. Where're you from Lan ? Uh, just googled , your from Ca., yea, can hear it a bit. Keep up the great work !
Italian here, learning about pasta from an American genius of SE Asian descent, and loving it
Let’s break some rules
Here too!
Asians mastered noodles before anyone else. If anything it’s a logical outcome.
@@otterdonnelly9959 not all pasta is noodles. Yes, noodles were invented in Asia before they were invented in Europe, but I reckon Italians are rightly perceived as the masters of pasta.
It’s the same with tomatoes: originally from the Americas, but everyone wants Italian San Marzano tomatoes…
@@soffici1 I guess Orecchiette or Conchiglie aren’t but she is very clearly cooking noodles in this video. And she clearly is a master of that. All I was originally commenting on.
San Marzanos are great for certain things (in sauce or dried) but there are plenty of people who prefer a hearty Purple Cherokee or Brandywine for other applications. Don’t let a DOP try to convince you some food is inherently always better.
Italians may consider themselves the masters of pasta. Most people think of pasta as a collaborative effort, @@soffici1
Fried Macaroni
Cast iron skillet, on medium high heat, cover bottom with elbow macaroni. Just cover with water. Boil until water is mostly evaporated and stir. Add oil to the same pot, approximately 2 tablespoons…I use what I have. Now you are frying the macaroni, and are wanting some color on the pasta. Add in 2 eggs to scramble in with the elbows. Light golden brown! We eat this with ketchup. The back story is, my husband’s widowed Russian German grandmother had 5 growing boys. They farmed. This was a cheap meal she could make. It’s actually good! Could probably be better!😊. Love your cooking shows!!
Reminds me of Vietnamese Stir-Fried Macaroni!
Basically stir-fried macaroni with onions, garlic, soy sauce, and a protein of your choice.
Some variations have bok choy and carrots and bell peppers and peas and tomatoes or tomato paste and oyster or fish sauce, maybe fresh herbs and scallions, or so this AI chat-bot would have us believe.
Fat-oil coated macaroni is so good. Carbs demand fats! Potatoes demand milk butter cream! We will march on this issue!
Thanks for the pasta lesson, Lan! I frequently use less water than the classic method prescribes, mostly 'cause I'm lazy/impatient. Now I know that sometimes it's the better method!
These methods are good and proven to work by plenty of chefs. Very helpful video for pasta cooking novices. The only thing I’d add is pasta water should always be salted, even if you are using salty things like cheese or cured meats. Nobody wants to take a bite of a bland, non-seasoned piece of pasta.
I like to cook macaroni in just covered water as soon as the water is about evaporated, I then turn it into mac n cheese. One pot! So good.
I also make lasagna by not cooking the noodles beforehand. I just makes the sauce a little watered down by adding up to 2 cups of water. Comes out amazing.
You can also do the same with pasta in the oven. Add a little extra water to the sauce and bake till aldenti.
I like to cook fast and easy.
I call this method "mountain pasta"...i use it when back-packing.
Love it 💕. I lived in a studio apartment for several years & can make pasta in the microwave. It turns out really good 😊. You have to heat the water then add the pasta. Stir a couple times. It takes about 10 minutes.
Always learn so much from Lan’s videos. Really useful content!!
Loved the little dance at the end! Yes, Lan Lam, you should be satisfied with yourself! :)
My favorite part of this is the last 5 seconds.
Yes joyful girl, you did. :- D
11:29
OK, let's be clear: I'm wild about
Ms. Lam. Yeah, I am.
If I saw this video and topic with any name other than Lan Lam I wouldn't give it a second glance. (Worth noting I'm the guy at the back of the room jumping up and down, waving my arms advocating for the next "food group" to be olive oil, garlic, parm and crushed red pepper as building blocks) My love for all things pasta knows no bounds, the simpler and more rustic the better. So when Ms. Lam puts out content I'm all in! I can be sure she and her team have done the requisite work and there's something to be learned. Another great presentation, thank you!
Best to look for the lighter coloured rough surface pasta. I found it always has better taste and texture
I'm glad I've been doing it right all these years. I always cook in minimal cold water and it always turns out perfect. Great video
The low-water, boil, cover and coast method was included in the Cabbagetown Cookbook from the 1980s.
I’m a beginner cook and your channel is so clear and helpful. Thank you!
When it comes to pasta Lan really uses her noodle
😂
😂 I love a good pun!
Measuring cup in the colander is such a great tip!
There are some methods in this video that Italians would call "cardinal sins" of Italian cooking, but I, an Italian, will try them anyway. No matter how different and untraditional (to Italians) your methods are, the end result still looked delicious - and I'm sure they tasted just as great!
Lan, I always learn so much from your videos. The one on how to use the power function on the microwave has been a real game changer. I have a feeling this one with the pasta will be too.
My mother-in-law worked at a factory that made boxed dry pasta. On the box they recommended boiling the water and dumping in the pasta (the amount of water did not seem to matter). Bring to a rolling boil for three minutes and put a lid on!? Let it sit for 10 or more minutes. It comes out perfect every time. I like to use this method if I am cooking a sauce from scratch. By the time the sauce is done - sometimes taking more time than I anticipated - the pasta in the covered pot is waiting to be added to the sauce.
That's correct: pasta will cook perfectly if the water is at 80C or above.
Yeah to cook pasta you just stick it in boiling water until it's done. But the water/salt ratio is important for seasoning it, bland or oversalted pasta is a sad time. And it's especially important if you're using the pasta water in your sauces (you should!) which is what this video is about really - controlling the starch and salt levels to make the sauce really come together. Box instructions don't usually care about any of that
This is how I always make pasta. It only needs to boil for a minute, then the lid on and rest heat does the magic :)
Thanks, Lan and A.T.K.! This information is a whole new world for cooking pasta which I do weekly.
Guys the rule is: 1l of water every 100gr of pasta and 1gr of salt. Add the pasta when water is boiling. saluti dall' Italia
I like making mine in the oven (I am lazy). I have a large Pyrex 9 x 13 clear glass baking dish. I throw in dried pasta (I like Barilla, but will sometimes use the store brand) I then add a jar of favorite tomato based pasta sauce, then I fill the jar almost to the top put in the lid and shake add this to the pasta, stir to mix, you can also add cooked meat, and add just enough extra water to cover the pasta. Put it in the oven covered with aluminum wrap and bake at 325 - 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes (Adjust for your oven). I have an electric oven.
Fantastic video ❤ I had no idea; Teflon/Bronze. Thanks 👍
I love how you explain the science behind each step!
Another method I’ve learned is from Marianne Esposito’s recipe for fried penne. She first browns the pasta in oil and then adds just enough broth to cover. When the broth is almost completely absorbed , you add a sauce to complete the cooking. Always perfect pasta and the browning adds a nuttiness to the dish.
Thanks for the various alternatives. Pasta is really very versatile.
A privilege to learn a lesson about 'pasta' !!! Simply The Best !!!
Fish sauce and soy sauce in ragus. Cheaper and easier than anchovies and packs a punch of umami goodness.
I have found after all these years, one pan pasta recipes (using a lot less water) produces a creamy al dente delicious pasta. I rarely boil pasta anymore, love your videos. Ty
Great video!!!
How about a video on Stock/broth making. How to maximize broth/stock flavour within a hour
And how to cook a 20 pound turkey in 60 minutes with a blow torch. LOL.
Use a slow cooker 12-24 hours with roasted bones. Salt and seasoning as you like. I find just salted is good because I can use it for more things and seasoning it as needed
@@desiree3488 how about without a slowcooker
@@desiree3488 just one pot, one stove
? use a pressure cooker
Thanks for this. I learned a lot! I do a cold start with my lasagna noodles. I actually cook them in a pan, to use less water. As soon as the water starts to boil, I turn off the heat. The lasagne has absorbed some water, but is still stiff enough to use easily.
Lan: let's see how many pasta rules I can break....
58,853,482 Italians: oh, really?
🤣
Amazing video. I was skeptical about changing anything about cooking pasta. I married into an Italian family and lived there for years. 🙏 Learned a lot.
Learned this quite some time ago from another UA-cam cook Ethan. He talks about the science behind it and it's all I've been doing ever since.
Glad to see another Ethan fan who noticed the similarities.
I tried his method and found it wasn't for me.
Always love seeing a new video from Lan !
Pasta is so much better when you cook it with a little water as possible so it's all starchy and sticky and wonderful.
That sounds DISGUSTING
It's very useful and enjoyable to watch chef Lan Lam :) Lovely advice in the end - every pasta cooks differently and you have to think what shape you're using, what sauce and what you want to get as the result - and adapt!
I'm glad you kept the bloopers, they make chef Lan even more relatable :)
I'd love it if you would include metric conversions for the measurements provided in the video, at least in text form. Just a thought :)
I second that 🙂
Yeah honestly switching from tbsp to tsp for the salt measurement made it harder to compare how much it was changing and get a feel for it
She is the best. This is the method those microwave pasta cookers use, start cold done quick.
Wtf! F'n teflon pasta! Stop contaminating food with that everlasting posion!
good combo of comment and username
Thanks, Lan for teaching us these techniques and recipes !!
Most times, I don't drain my pasta, I remove the pasta from the pot with a spider, leaving the water behind so I have easy access to it. When it comes to stranded pasta, I remove it with a spaghetti 'fork', also leaving the water behind in the pot. Of course, if I am finishing the dish in the pot I cooked the pasta, then yes, I will drain it, saving some of the water. Other than that, I believe that whatever works for you is what you should do. Other than add oil to the pasta water. If you do that, you should be forcibly removed from the kitchen. :)
Lam is the best! Love her deep dive videos.
Why all the pasta straining? You must really like dishes. Use a spider or pasta scoop to transfer it directly from the pot into your sauce. Who likes washing strainers? Plus you'll have a nice hot pot of pasta water sitting there for you.
I like to use little water, no salt, and when the pasta is al dente, drain 2/3 of the water, lower the heat way down, add salt, and slosh the pasta around in the pan for a while with a silicone spon, gently not to break the pasta, and finish cooking this way. In the end, drain all the water, add olive oil and or butter, and do some more sloshing just in case. The pasta gets really starchy and creamy just that way, so for seafood, where no cheese is used, it works perfectly.
I love your cooking videos and there is some great advice here BUT your cheese is splitting in the Alla Gricia. The reason this happens is because the pan is too hot. You're not cooking the cheese, you're just slightly warming it up. Chances are the pot didn't have enough time to cool down before you added the cheese. You can see it becoming stringy in the video and the way it sticks to the spoon instead of combining into the sauce. It's a common mistake when non-italians make italian recipes. I don't know why. Just about every American youtube chef makes the same mistake.