When one thinks of Italian cuisine, Pasta is what comes to mind first. Pasta cooked perfectly and with the right combination of ingredients can be an absolutely mouth watering dish- a real treat for your taste buds. It is light on the stomach and healthy too. It is a wonderful combination of flavors all packed into one. You would discover the authentic Italian taste one at a time as you relish spoon after spoon of this treat. A heavenly dish that is both quick to make and a real delight, this is a great way to treat your family and friends to an authentic Italian fare.

If you are however not sure of how to cook pasta you can actually be left with a clump of pasta all sticking closely to one another like a pack of great friends. Whether you decide to have your pasta in red sauce, white sauce, a salad or like it baked; first and foremost you need to master the technique of cooking pasta. It is really simple once you know just how.

If you have searched online for pasta recipes then you would observe that most of them start with "cook your pasta" or "now that you have your pasta cooked and ready to begin". The recipes do not really teach you how to cook the pasta which is the very first and most important step to a lip smacking delight.

When pasta is cooked in water it actually releases the starch that is present in it thus, making it bigger in size. The water gets sticky with all the starch and the pasta also has a starch coating that gives it a slimy feel. Just how to have the pasta of the right texture and cooked just right is all very simple provided you know the secrets to cooking it perfectly.

For cooking pasta first and foremost, it is important to bring water to a boil, this would help soak the pasta and cook it well. The hot water would help to get rid of the starch on the pasta real quick. At this point when the starch is released, the pasta with a sticky surface tends to stick together. Stir to prevent your pasta from sticking together. Add salt to the water so that your pasta has the right seasoning, this would make a big difference to the taste.

Some might even suggest that it would be best to add oil to the water while cooking pasta to prevent it from sticking together. However, this is best avoided. It would definitely prevent your pasta from sticking together but this gives the pasta an oily coating. This oily coating would not let the sauce stay on the pasta and thus, would adversely affect the taste of your dish to a great extent.

See that the pasta is not over-cooked and cook it to just the right consistency. Drain the pasta and add it to the prepared sauce and let it coat well (do not rinse in cold water) with the delicious sauce of your choice.

You could use a tomato based red sauce or your favorite white sauce. Combine with a good helping of vegetables like broccoli and peppers to enhance the nutritious value and taste of your pasta. Stir well. Give it a few minutes to soak in the flavors of the sauce, and serve hot. Bring home the flavors of your favorite Italian restaurant now right to your table.