More often than not, I find myself craving Italian food. There’s always a pasta recipe to suit my mood or a new pizzeria in my neighborhood that I simply have to try. Even when I don’t eat Italian food out, I love making it for dinner at home. But if you’ve ever undersalted a pot of pasta water or mismeasured ingredients for pizza dough like I have, then you know how easy it is to make a mess of these classic comfort dishes.
To avoid these mistakes in the future, I asked Italian chefs for their tips on how to make better-tasting pizza and pasta at home. Read on to learn about the three cooking habits they wish you would change, and the gear you should buy to fix them.
Invest in the Proper Equipment
Amazon
Whether you’re making pizza dough from scratch or using store-bought dough and topping it as you see fit, you won’t get far without the proper tools. Mike Fadem, chef and owner of Ops in New York, stated that home chefs would benefit from buying a kitchen scale, a pan, and a large mixing bowl, while Thomas McNaughton, co-chef of Flour + Water Hospitality Group in San Francisco, stated that a pizza stone and a wire rack can make all the difference.
“If you don’t have a pizza oven at home, a pizza steel is the best way to mimic the pizzeria experience,” said McNaughton. “You’ll still need to crank that oven up to its highest temp (and preheat the steel to maximize the effect), but it’s a game-changer for getting that charring that gives your crust flavor and texture. [I] also strongly encourage transferring your cooked pizza to a wire rack after it emerges from the oven, versus directly onto a cutting board. That air circulation is essential for ensuring that piping hot, crispy crust stays crispy and doesn’t start to steam.”
- E-far Cooling Racks, Set of 2, $17, originally $22
- The Baking Steel Pizza Stone, $129
- Viking Mixing Bowl Set, $75, originally $100
- Pyrex Sculpted Glass Mixing Bowls, Set of 3, $27
- Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale, $11, originally $14
- OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale, $45, originally $65
- Hermarm 12-Inch Pizza Pan, Set of 2, $27
Use a Large Pot
Amazon
When boiling pasta, it’s critical to use a large pot. Ryan Pollnow, co-chef of Flour + Water, stated: “If you’re cooking a full pound of pasta, you want to fill your biggest pot with 4 quarts [of water], so the pasta is circulating the whole time it’s cooking. This will not only prevent sticking and ensure all the pasta cooks evenly, but will also give you more precision with the cooking time based on what the package recommends.” His favorite is the Le Creuset 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven, but I also listed a number of popular stockpots that are large enough for a pasta dinner below.
Season Your Pasta Water
Amazon
Pollnow also stressed the importance of seasoning your pasta water. “You’ll need more [salt] than you think to ensure your noodles are well-seasoned; a good rule of thumb is 1/4 cup of kosher salt for 4 quarts of water,” he wrote. While he recommends Diamond Crystal salt or Jacobsen Salt Co.’s Disco di Sale discs, which eliminate the guesswork, any salt will do.
Chef Michael White of Paranza in the Bahamas agreed, adding that the salty cooking water is an excellent source of flavor. “It’s a mistake to toss away this delicious mix, which is great to add to sauces,” he said.
