Why should you use pasta water to make sauces? Besides all the starchy, salty water makes for the perfect base. I always reserve a little pasta water when I boil noodles, even if I’m not making a sauce. It is perfect in case the pasta starts to dry out.
When bringing the water to boil, be sure to add salt. I prefer kosher salt. The salt will help bring the water to a higher boiling temperature, thus cooking the pasta faster and more thoroughly. Not to mention, the salt adds a ton of flavor.
If you want the water to actually boil faster then use a lid over your pot. This increases the surface temperature of water, allowing the water to heat up faster.
How much salt should you add? It depends on how much water, but I’d say roughly 1/2 a tablespoon to a full tablespoon for a large pot. The most important thing is to just throw it in there.
It’s also great for leftovers. If you’ll be saving some of the pasta in fridge, pour a tablespoon of pasta water over it. Then when you reheat the pasta will still be tender! This works best if you cover the pasta while reheating (whether in the microwave or on the stove top).
I used this pasta water to make Parmesan Pesto Pasta! Eat up and enjoy!
Hear, hear. Pasta water does make for excellent sauces. Great trick about using a little pasta water when reheating leftovers — I’ll have to try that!