A few simple steps will help you make the perfect plate of pasta.

When making pasta it should be made with few ingredients of the highest quality. Remember that you want to taste the pasta, not just the sauce. Finishing your pasta in the pan with some of the starchy cooking water emulsifies the sauce and noodle ensuring a creamy and silky texture.

1. Use good quality pasta, my personal favorites are: de cecco, barilla, or rustichella d’ abruzzo. Typical brands like Catelli or noname use low quality flour, have a very high starch content and lack the taste and texture pasta should have.

2. When making the sauce for your pasta make just enough for the amount you are cooking. A proper plate of pasta should be noodles and just enough sauce to coat. Have your sauce ready in a pan large enough to toss your pasta in.

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil on high heat add a good handful of salt (enough so the water is salty to the taste).

4. Add your pasta, stir once making sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat down to medium high. Cook the pasta just under “al dente” or 1 – 2 minutes prior packet instructions. Reserve about a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta (DO NOT EVER RINSE)

5. Immediately add the pasta to your sauce with a little pasta water, continue cooking the pasta in the sauce constantly stirring for an additional minute. Remove from heat, toss in any extra condiments (cheese, butter, extra virgin olive oil etc). Remove from heat and serve.