Italian
Creamy Pasta
by Manu Food · 60K subscribers on YouTube
Learn how to make perfectly creamy pasta (pasta mantecata) using the mantecatura technique. This step-by-step guide shows how to cook pasta al dente, finish it in the sauce with pasta water, and achieve a silky emulsion. Perfect for any pasta dish!
- Difficulty
- easy
Ingredients
6 items- PastaUse bronze-die extruded pasta for best results.
- Sugo di Pomodori FreschiA simple fresh tomato sauce.
- BasilFresh basil leaves.
- Extra Virgin Olive OilDrizzle at the end for creaminess.
- Pasta Cooking WaterStarchy water used to emulsify the sauce.
- Parmigiano Reggiano(optional) — Add off heat for a creamy, cheesy finish.
Method
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until 3 minutes before the recommended cooking time on the package.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. In this demonstration, a fresh tomato sauce is used.
- Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta cooking water.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce over high heat.
- Add a small amount of pasta cooking water and stir the pasta gently with a rotating motion.
- Continue cooking, gradually adding more pasta cooking water as it dries, until the pasta is creamy and cooked al dente.
- Add fresh basil and stir.
- Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, turn off the heat.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss the pasta (or stir) to incorporate.
- If using Parmigiano Reggiano, add it off the heat and stir until melted and creamy.
- Serve immediately.
