So many recipes hinge on one small instruction: 'bring to a boil, then simmer'. Getting this right is the difference between perfect pasta and a scorched pot.
01
Read the bubbles
- Boil: large, vigorous bubbles breaking the surface fast.
- Simmer: small, lazy bubbles rising gently.
- Poach: barely a shimmer, no real bubbles.
02
Salt your water
- Pasta and vegetable water should taste like the sea.
- Salt the water, not just the finished dish.
- Add pasta only once the water is at a full boil.
03
Timing
- Set a timer — don't trust your memory.
- Taste a minute before the packet says done.
- Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining; it loosens sauces beautifully.