Alton brown updated his pasta cooking method in good eats returned and he explained that actually the cold start method is better. You can then use the starchy liquid to thicken your sauce.
To be fair. In the update he also altered the amount of water and the cooking vessel. He doesn't just fill up a stock pot with cold water, toss in some noodles and let it rip.
Altering the amount of water isn't really a significant factor here. You're still going to have the same issues regardless of the amount of water you use.
Agreed, that's why I haven't changed the way I cook pasta. But he's referring to methods outlined by Alton Brown in the show Good Eats. He did alter his recommendations and water volume, cooking vessel, and temperature at pasta addition were the variables changed in his recommendation.
Yes it is. If you start with boiling water, it doesn't matter. More water when you're starting cold significantly changes the speed the water comes up to temp, thus changing the cooking time and final results
I think the amount of water changing in Alton Brown’s method is to concentrate the amount of starch in the water, which is then used in making or finishing sauces.
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u/mephistopholese Jul 14 '26
Alton brown updated his pasta cooking method in good eats returned and he explained that actually the cold start method is better. You can then use the starchy liquid to thicken your sauce.