Yep, It Actually Matters How Much Salt You Add To Pasta Water

Have you ever been in the position as a kid where your parents would tell you to do something and you constantly refused — until they explained why, and then you happily went along with it? That's how it goes when you're cooking, too, especially if you're making something like pasta. The pasta-making process has become so ritualized — even sacred — that for some, the reason why they salt pasta water is simply because they've always salted it. 

But there actually is a reason behind it, as a certified Italian Nonna happily shared exclusively with us at The Takeout. We talked to Ginny Ferrara (nee Pascullo), the 96-year-old grandmother of PR strategist and stylist Toni Ferrara, and she told us how salt water really does bolster the taste of pasta.

Simply put, the pasta absorbs the salt water as it boils, infusing it with a deeper, more satisfying flavor than it would get if it were boiled in unsalted water. "Pasta drinks a little of the salt, just enough to taste good," Ginny says. "It helps flavor the pasta, and then when you add our family sauce — molto bene!" If you don't have the Ferrara family recipe on hand, of course, you can use your own tomato sauce recipe, perhaps enriched by slow simmering or a dollop of an umami booster like Marmite. Just so long as you don't use ketchup.

So, how do you strike the right balance of salt for your pasta? Ginny Ferrara tells us about the best practices. First of all, don't worry about precise measurements: Ginny insists that we just need to "measure with our hearts," noting that the pasta water should be "as salty as the sea." This way, the pasta absorbs as much as it can handle without getting completely saturated. "If you're not sure, taste the water, it should make you think of summer days at the sea," Ginny suggests. "No fancy measurements, just feeling."

But what do we do if we accidentally pour in too much salt? The sea may be pretty salty, but it's still possible to overdo it. Don't worry too much about it, says Ginny, "Just add a little more water to balance it out. Give it a taste, and if it still feels too strong, it's okay to start fresh. Pasta and the ones you are feeding are worth the extra care." This is a principle she's lived by for many years, and seeing as she's inspired her granddaughter Toni to preserve her knowledge and create memories with her, it's safe to say that care and compassion have served her quite well.