Watch out! They\u2019re everywhere\u2026 Fusilli and spaghetti lying in wait on every corner, trying to pull a fast one on you. That\u2019s right, we\u2019re talking poor-quality pasta, which can pop up anywhere, even where you\u2019d least expect it. Worst of all, it often manages to hoodwink us. Being able to distinguish between good- and poor-quality pasta is key if you want to create spectacular dishes. Pasta is at the heart of many recipes and the final result depends on the quality of your ingredients. So how can you unmask lousy penne and fusilli and go home with the decent stuff? Here are some hints:<\/p>\n
Start by completing the sentence: Good-quality pasta\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026 remains compact and elastic for hours after it\u2019s been cooked. It stays al dente for a good while without going soft or drying out.<\/p>\n
\u2026 doesn\u2019t form a floury layer once cooked, whereas lesser-quality pastas usually do.<\/p>\n
\u2026 looks porous, which lets it absorb water uniformly, the key to an al\u00a0dente finish.<\/p>\n
\u2026 leaves very little residue in the water it was cooked in, as it doesn\u2019t release starch in the process: the water should be almost completely clear.<\/p>\n
\u2026 cooks uniformly.<\/p>\n
\u2026 has a uniform thickness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Watch out! They\u2019re everywhere\u2026 Fusilli and spaghetti lying in wait on every corner, trying to pull a fast one on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3304],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cooking-tips"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n