I was at a pasta class in Rome and the chef showed us a trick with salt...

We were making cacio e pepe and he told us to salt the pasta water like the sea, but then he added a big handful of salt to the dry pan before we added the pasta water to make the sauce. He said it seasons the pan itself and helps the cheese melt right. I tried it back home in my kitchen and it fixed my sauce breaking problem in about two minutes flat. The cheese just slid into a smooth cream instead of clumping up. Has anyone else picked up a small trick like that from a class or another cook that just clicked?

3 comments

3 Comments

hernandez.emma8d ago

My friend went to a pizza class and they taught her to put a tiny bit of sugar in the tomato sauce. She said it cuts the acid without making it sweet and now she won't make sauce without it.

tarar278d ago

Totally changed my mind on that too, @hernandez.emma.

the_angela7d ago

Actually, a pinch of baking soda works way better than sugar for cutting acid. Sugar just covers it up, but baking soda neutralizes it chemically. You can add it to the sauce while it simmers and the foam goes away. It doesn't change the flavor at all, just makes it smoother.