Several chefs agree on salting the water and finishing the pasta in the sauce.
Niko Romito and José Andrés insist on using plenty of well-salted water, and Jordi Cruz recommends removing the pasta a little before the indicated time.
Cooking pasta with sauce seems simple, but the result depends on just a few key steps. According to the chefs consulted, these techniques are easy to replicate at home and make all the difference.
The first step is to fill the pot with plenty of water. Niko Romito explains: "They need space to move around and cook evenly." Then you have to salt the water: José Andrés sums it up like this: "The pasta water should taste like the sea."
During cooking, the pasta should be al dente: neither hard nor soft, with a slight firmness when bitten. For Romito, this texture is what makes for good pasta and allows it to pair well with the sauce. To prevent it from overcooking, it's best to follow the cooking time on the package and taste it regularly towards the end.
Jordi Cruz suggests removing the pasta earlier: "We should take the pasta out of the water two, three, or four minutes before the time recommended by the manufacturer." He explains that this way the pasta absorbs the flavors of the sauce instead of the water, resulting in a more intense and flavorful dish.
Once removed from the pot, the pasta goes directly into the pan with the sauce, where it finishes cooking gently and absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients. This is a common step in Italian cooking and helps the sauce adhere much better.
For that last step to work, it's a good idea to reserve some of the cooking water before draining everything.