Save Pasta Water — It's Liquid Gold for Sauces

Before you drain your pasta, scoop out at least one cup of the starchy cooking water. This cloudy liquid is one of the most useful ingredients in Italian cooking. The dissolved starch acts as a natural emulsifier and thickener.

When you toss your pasta into the sauce, add a splash of pasta water and stir vigorously. The starch binds the sauce to the noodles and creates that silky, glossy finish you see in restaurants. If the sauce is too thick, add more water. Too thin, let it reduce. It is the difference between sauce sitting on top of pasta and sauce becoming one with it.