The eternal debate: oil in cooking water, yes or no? Cooking pasta is such a trivial gesture that often one does not realize the mistakes that are made. Yet preparing the perfect pasta dish is not obvious. Today, the ProiezionidiBorsa cooking experts face one of the many false myths that circulate around pasta: this is why you shouldn’t put oil in the cooking water of pasta.
Why some resort to the oil trick
There is nothing worse than draining the pasta and discovering that the spaghetti are glued together. Or, even worse, that they have stuck to the bottom of the pot. How much effort then to clean it! Yet, if you don’t pay attention to the pasta while cooking, this often happens. This is why many add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the water. Generally, this is done after adding salt and throwing out the pasta. Those who add the oil to it believe that the substance, being slippery, prevents the individual pieces of dough from sticking together. Yet, that’s not exactly the case: that’s why you shouldn’t put oil in the pasta cooking water.
What experts recommend for the perfect pasta dish
Many intervened on the debate on how to prepare a perfect pasta al dente. Not just great chefs, but scientists too dell’American Chemical Society. Many agree on one point: adding olive oil to the pasta water makes no difference. In fact, oil does not mix with water. It is in fact apolar, that is, devoid of charge, while water is polar. This implies that the oil collects on the surface, and is simply thrown away while the pasta is drained. In short, a waste. To make sure the dough does not stick, it is best to choose a pot that is large enough in size. And most importantly, stir from time to time during cooking.
Deepening
For those who have been enticed by the article and now want a plate of carbonara, it is necessary to know that not all pasta brands are the same. In particular, there is shocking news for those who prefer wholemeal pasta.
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