For many people, pasta is the go-to ingredient that forms the basis of a simple week-night meal, and yet preparing it isn’t as straightforward as the back of the package would have you to believe. While most store-bought packages tell home cooks to take one specific measure to prevent pieces of pasta from sticking together once cooked, it turns out they’re wrong. If you’ve been rinsing your pasta in cold water to prevent it from sticking together, you’re not alone. However, real Italians say that you’re simply washing liquid gold down the drain. In essence, you’re rising away important starch from the surfaces. That’s because starch serves as a kind of glue that works to enhance the flavor of the finished product. Rather than throwing it down the drain, cooks should set aside a cup or two before straining the pasta and then add some back in with the sauce before you toss the pasta together. The starch in the water makes the sauce combine with the pasta, rather than just sitting on top of it. The result: a much more flavorful dish. There is, however, one situation where rinsing your pasta is a good thing. If you’re preparing pasta salad, running it under cold water helps stop the cooking process and prevents your pasta salad from becoming mushy.
