All pastas are not the made the same so don’t balme yourself if your pasta doesn’t taste as well as you hoped it to be. Check out these tips I gathered for better pasta. They worked for me!
Appearance:
Golden, amber color pasta is a sign of good quality wheat unlike whitish, reddish or grayish hues. Also high-quality pasta has fewer blackish marks or impurities. Next time you buy pasta, keep this in mind!
Bite:
Good pasta should cook “al dente” every time for the best meal experience as far as the Italians go. “Al dente” means “to the tooth” in Italian, referring to the finished pasta being firm when ready to be eaten. I on the other hand advise to find your own level of cooking and go with it. Not everybody likes al dente especially the kids!
Clarity:
Pasta that is made with the highest-quality durum wheat should not release a lot of starch in the cooking water. Look to make sure the cooking water is clear not cloudy - an indicator that excess starch is being released, which usually results in sticky, clumpy pasta.
Doesn't break, clump or stick:
Pasta made with the highest-quality durum wheat should not break, clump or stick when cooking. Serve immediately to ensure the best meal experience.
Elasticity:
Pasta, particularly long cuts, should be springy and lively, not limp, and should always hold its shape.
