From NapaValleyRegister.com….
To salt or not to salt: that is the question, at least when it comes to cooking pasta.
For Steve Gonzalez, co-founder of Sfoglini Pasta, a New York state-based, artisanal pasta maker, it is no question at all. One must always salt the pasta pot — and generously — especially for dried pasta. With very little effort and advanced planning, you can achieve perfect pasta every time.
Here Gonzalez shares the nine commandments of cooking pasta to ensure your spaghetti night is the best it can be.
Start with cold water
Cold water is fresh water, free of any build-up that might come from a stagnant hot water tank. Although it takes less time for water to boil if you use hot tap water, the energy savings on the stovetop does not outweigh the energy used to keep water hot in one’s tank (let alone the water wasted from the tap while waiting for water to come to temperature), so just start from cold. It will make your pasta taste better.
