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A Pasta Hack That Will Transport You to Rome
If you’ve ever dreamed of twirling forkfuls of pasta at a sun-drenched café overlooking the Colosseum, this one’s for you. No plane ticket. No passport. Just one clever kitchen trick that brings authentic Roman flavour straight to your plate.
The Hack: Pasta Water is Liquid Gold
The secret to creamy, restaurant-quality pasta isn’t heavy cream or fancy ingredients, it’s the starchy, salty water your pasta cooks in. Roman chefs swear by it.
When you save a ladleful of that pasta water and toss it with your sauce, magic happens:
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The starch helps the sauce cling perfectly to every strand.
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It creates a silky, glossy texture without extra fat.
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It deepens the flavour, making your pasta taste like it came from a trattoria in Trastevere.
How to Do It Like a Roman Nonna
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Salt your pasta water generously, it should taste like the sea.
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Cook your pasta until just al dente.
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Before draining, scoop out 1–2 cups of the cooking water.
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Toss your pasta with sauce in a pan, adding pasta water a little at a time until it’s creamy and perfectly coated.
Perfect Recipes for This Hack
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Cacio e Pepe — Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and pasta water. That’s it.
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Carbonara — Egg yolks, guanciale, Pecorino, black pepper, and a splash of pasta water to bring it all together.
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Amatriciana — Tomato, guanciale, Pecorino, and pasta water for that rich finish.
Pro Tip
Pair your pasta with a glass of Italian red, put on some Dean Martin or Italian jazz, and light a candle. Your dining table is now a Roman piazza.