Upgrade your everyday cooking using ingredients you already have in your pantry! Throw away the box, and let Eataly's chef Nicoletta Grippo teach you the nuances and techniques for making an italian classic, Pasta al Pomodoro — a quick, light dish made with fresh tomatoes, basil, and olive oil that's perfect for all occasions.
After walking step-by-step through the recipe, she'll have you making pasta that looks and tastes like it's straight from the Italian countryside — all with just a few easy tips that will vastly improve your home cooking.
You’ll learn:
- why dried pasta is just as good as fresh pasta (just different 'species')
- how to cook to that perfect 'al dente' bite
- three options for the perfect accompanying sauce
- how to make the dish Bucatini al Pomodoro (hollow spaghetti with tomato sauce)
Chef Nicoletta also shares secrets to keeping cut garlic fresh all week long and how to plate long pasta with ease, making this easy staple even simpler (and prettier!).
Adding this foundational Italian recipe to your repertoire will ensure you always have an answer to the question, “what’s for dinner?” whether it’s a busy weeknight or you’re planning your next dinner party.
Make pasta at home and try these tips.
Share how you prepared pasta at home, and let us know what you did differently after learning Chef Nicoletta’s tips and tricks.
Upload a photo of your plated dish, or simply write a sentence or two about which tip you applied in the Project Gallery – whether that's the classic Pasta al Pomodoro, or a recipe of your own. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Top 10 Tips for Cooking Dried Pasta:
- Make your pasta water as salty as the sea
- Don’t add olive oil to the water!
- Keep long pasta long (never break it up)
- gnore the cook time on the box – test along the way and cook to your taste
- When in doubt, undercook your pasta for that ‘al dente’ bite
- Avoid rinsing your pasta in a colander (you want it to absorb the sauce)
- Keep your starchy pasta water on-hand after it’s cooked
- Heat up your sauce so it’s ready when the pasta is done
- Finish your pasta dish in its respective sauce
- Rule of thumb: add dried herbs at the beginning, fresh herbs at the end
