No colander, no pot of boiling water: All it takes is a frying pan and a little patience to make pasta risottata. This cooking technique – stolen from risotto – is defined by the pasta’s absorption of liquid, and makes for a creamier, more amalgamated result. But is it always recommended? The answer is a resounding no.
Pasta risottata: the technique
Pasta risottata is cooked directly in the pan (like a risotto), by gradually adding water and continuing to stir until the liquid is completely absorbed by the starch. The starch released by the pasta will bind to the sauce, ensuring a perfect mantecatura. Instead of just water, you can also use flavored water or broth.
So that you don’t have to start from scratch in the pan, however, you can also start by boiling the pasta in the classic salted water for 2-3 minutes and then complete the pasta risottata in the pan.
When to ‘risottare’ pasta
The technique for pasta risottata is recommended when the sauce is technically not a sauce, but an emulsion – especially when there are no elements capable of binding the ingredients together. In these cases, the starch comes to our aid, creating a nice creamy texture. Depending on your preferences, you can also ‘risottare’ pasta with garlic, oil and red chili pepper or when you’re making spaghetti alle vongole.
When not to use the technique
The risk of using the technique for pasta risottata is that the pasta will not be cooked correctly or will not be cooked evenly. Larger pasta varieties are not recommended for this reason – as it would be difficult to properly cook the pasta evenly. This is because the pasta could never be completely covered by the cooking liquid. (On the contrary, if too much water is added, you risk the pasta being too liquidy.)
As for seasonings or sauces, the pasta risottata technique may be unnecessary when there is already an ingredient capable of bonding with the pasta, such as egg in a recipe for carbonara. Also, risottatura should absolutely be avoided if you’re using a sauce like béchamel, which already contains a starch component: The pasta would not be able to rehydrate and cook.