How do you make your pasta?

[karadekoolaid]

Hungry at lunchtime, so I thought I'd do something with broccoli and bacon. As I often do, I scrolled through a few of the "BEST EVER!!!Broccoli and bacon pasta" dishes and was flabbergasted. I mean, my flabber has never been so gasted The first recipe said to add chicken stock and flour, to make a roux ("makes it creamy"said the blogger) . Then I found a few others that said the same...
I'm a pasta fanatic, as are the rest of the family, and I have never, ever, ever used chicken stock and certainly not a roux. I can just imagine Gino Da Campo's face if someone made a pasta with chicken stock.
But then I thought: maybe I'm an exception; I just use water, salt and a bit of the pasta water to make it "creamy".
So is it just me or is this a new trend?

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Hungry at lunchtime, so I thought I'd do something with broccoli and bacon. As I often do, I scrolled through a few of the "BEST EVER!!!Broccoli and bacon pasta" dishes and was flabbergasted. I mean, my flabber has never been so gasted The first recipe said to add chicken stock and flour, to make a roux ("makes it creamy"said the blogger) . Then I found a few others that said the same...
I'm a pasta fanatic, as are the rest of the family, and I have never, ever, ever used chicken stock and certainly not a roux. I can just imagine Gino Da Campo's face if someone made a pasta with chicken stock.
But then I thought: maybe I'm an exception; I just use water, salt and a bit of the pasta water to make it "creamy".
So is it just me or is this a new trend?

Sounds absolutely awful but can't know without trying it

 

[TastyReuben]

So is it just me or is this a new trend?

My grandmom and mom both used chicken broth to make slicks for chicken-and-dumplings:

America’s Test Kitchen

Slicks are a type of thick, doughy pasta. We always knew them as dumplings, though.

When I boil egg noodles for something like buttered noodles or beef-and-noodles, I’ll boil them in a weak broth.

 

[JAS_OH1]

My grandmom and mom both used chicken broth to make slicks for chicken-and-dumplings:

View attachment 117427
America’s Test Kitchen

Slicks are a type of thick, doughy pasta. We always knew them as dumplings, though.

When I boil egg noodles for something like buttered noodles or beef-and-noodles, I’ll boil them in a weak broth.

That's way different in my opinion.

But then I thought: maybe I'm an exception; I just use water, salt and a bit of the pasta water to make it "creamy".
So is it just me or is this a new trend?

I use water to boil pasta noodles for sauces. Usually I'm going to cover it in sauce so why do I need to make it creamy? Sometimes I might just put olive oil/butter, garlic, and parmesan cheese on it and eat it that way.

 

[Timenspace]

why do I need to make it creamy?

Exactly. I'll second that. Was wondering the same...

But maybe there is some logic? I donno.

Maybe they are cutting off of the sauce prep time, who knows?

A student of mine told me, this was years back, she was an adult, living with her boyfriend, probably on the way out after the lesson, that she does everything in one pot with the pasta.

I was very surprised, never occurred to me it is doable.

Yes, she said, and praised how lovely, creamy and all it was.

My method (so far) is boiling water in the kettle, pouring into pot, pinch of salt, add pasta, see the box instructions on minutes needed to cook, try.

when ready, throw cooking water out, cool off pasta with cold water, strain, add a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking ( sometimes not if pasta goes straight into the sauce), serve.

Maybe there are better ways...

 

[JAS_OH1]

Exactly. I'll second that. Was wondering the same...

But maybe there is some logic? I donno.

Maybe they are cutting off of the sauce prep time, who knows?

A student of mine told me, this was years back, she was an adult, living with her boyfriend, probably on the way out after the lesson, that she does everything in one pot with the pasta.

I was very surprised, never occurred to me it is doable.

Yes, she said, and praised how lovely, creamy and all it was.

My method (so far) is boiling water in the kettle, pouring into pot, pinch of salt, add pasta, see the box instructions on minutes needed to cook, try.

when ready, throw cooking water out, cool off pasta with cold water, strain, add a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking ( sometimes not if pasta goes straight into the sauce), serve.

Maybe there are better ways...

I do think some people like a little pasta water to help the sauce stick to the pasta? I don't do it that way and my sauces adhere to the pasta fine.

 

[msmofet]

Salted water, boil, drain.

 

[Timenspace]

I do think some people like a little pasta water to help the sauce stick to the pasta? I don't do it that way and my sauces adhere to the pasta fine.

Really? Haven't heard of that yet. I do use some pasta water, if I keep it, or the recipe calls for it, to add to the sauce, whilst sauce is cooking (a la bolognese maybe), if it gets close to running out of liquid...

But not to help the sauce stick to the pasta?

Anyways, there are a million ways and tricks...

 

[JAS_OH1]

Really? Haven't heard of that yet. I do use some pasta water, if I keep it, or the recipe calls for it, to add to the sauce, whilst sauce is cooking (a la bolognese maybe), if it gets close to running out of liquid...

But not to help the sauce stick to the pasta?

Anyways, there are a million ways and tricks...

Why Do You Add Starchy Pasta Water to Sauce?.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Exactly. I'll second that. Was wondering the same...

But maybe there is some logic? I donno.

Maybe they are cutting off of the sauce prep time, who knows?

A student of mine told me, this was years back, she was an adult, living with her boyfriend, probably on the way out after the lesson, that she does everything in one pot with the pasta.

I was very surprised, never occurred to me it is doable.

When we're out camping or cooking on our (camping) stove for whatever reason, we always cook the pasta or rice along with the sauce at the same time. We just add extra water which boils off as things cook.

I guess that is not that different to how we bake a pasta bake either. Uncooked pasta Ito the casserole bowl, add the pasta sauce or tinned tomatoes, add 1 jar or tin of hot water, add the 'cheese' equivalent, mix and cook with a lid on in the oven.

 

[badjak]

I cook pasta with the sauce in my more Asian dishes like noodle soups (i do use spaghetti for that sometimes)
Other than that: just water.
My sauce has all the flavour it needs, incl of the salty element.
Pasta water only if the sauce is too thick

 

[blades]

I could see it in a cream sauce and mushroom dish although I would just put the chicken stock in the sauce and cook the pasta normally. It is good to see people experimenting though. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Timenspace]

Why Do You Add Starchy Pasta Water to Sauce?.

Thank you, I've learned something new!

 

[Timenspace]

I guess that is not that different to how we bake a pasta bake either

Oh yes, that makes sense. I can even make a connection, as you mentioned outdoor cooking whilst camping, I reckon they were hiking/cycling people too, unsure, but it may be.
Pasta bake, you are right. Totally. I should try and do more pasta bakes, once the weather cools off a bit.
It also frees up time, while baking, one can do xyz...

 

[Timenspace]

noodle soups (i do use spaghetti for that sometimes)

Are there noodle soups that can forego spiciness? Maybe a title and I can google recipes...
The most I can take is a pinch of chilli powder, 2 pinches of black.pepper, and that is it...
But I love exploring layering the herbs and vegetables in interesting combinations...