Toast Your Noodles Before Boiling For Nonna-Worthy Pasta

To cook a true Italian-style pasta dish, there are a few unwritten rules you must stick to, like never breaking spaghetti and removing the pasta from the fire while it's still a bit crunchy. Other general tips include picking the right type of pasta according to the recipe and whipping up a delectable sauce to properly accompany the noodles. But if you want a dish that really tastes like Nonna's, consider toasting the noodles before boiling them.

Toasting is a simple cooking process that exposes the noodles to dry heat. It's essentially the same procedure used when cooking nuts or preparing bread when you want it crunchy and dry. Not only will the noodles acquire an attractive brown color that makes for a standout dish, but it also imparts a unique nutty flavor and aroma that takes the pasta from regular to extraordinary. Toasting also concentrates the flavors which further enhances your meal.

Besides, if you often overcook your pasta, this might be just the solution you need because toasting makes the noodles firmer and reduces the chances of overcooking them. It's also much easier to achieve the perfect al dente texture and avoid a mushy dish. But all of this doesn't happen by chance; there's a scientific explanation for it. 

Whether you call it toasting, roasting, or even baking (if you do it in the oven), the magic behind browning your noodles under dry heat is simply the Maillard reaction — which is also the reason why both your beer and your steak are brown. This non-enzymatic response is what gives a distinct flavor and aroma to browned food. It specifically works on foods that contain sugar molecules and proteins, for example, bread, meat, coffee, chocolate, beer, and eggs. Pasta also happens to fit this archetype since it's typically a wheat-based product and wheat contains, among other nutrients, protein in gluten, and starch which is broken down into sugars.

The Maillard reaction occurs when the amino acids (i.e. protein molecules) and sugar molecules react as the pasta toasts resulting in a complex compound that's responsible for the color and flavor change. The deeper the brown shade is, the stronger the nutty flavor becomes. However, don't overdo it lest you burn the noodles. For this browning process to occur, the pasta needs to be heated to a temperature of at least 285 degrees Fahrenheit (140 degrees Celsius). You can achieve this by toasting the noodles in the oven, microwave, or on the stovetop.

The most hands-off method of toasting pasta is in the oven. Spread out the noodles on a rimmed baking sheet (you can line it with parchment paper or leave it as is), then place it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it bake for about 10 minutes or until you notice the noodles have browned. Oven roasting produces the most even browning compared to microwaving or the stovetop method.

On the stovetop, begin by putting some cooking oil on the skillet and let it heat up before adding in your pasta. If you're using spaghetti, you'll need to break it into about a couple of inches in length first. Turn down the stove to medium heat then allow the pasta to cook as you stir occasionally. This will take between five to 10 minutes depending on the size and amount of pasta. You'll know the noodles are ready when about half have browned to your liking.

Another easy way of roasting pasta is in the microwave. Simply toss the noodles with cooking oil in a microwave-safe bowl and then pop it in. Let the pasta cook at 50% power while stopping to stir occasionally to encourage even browning for about three to five minutes. No matter which method you choose to toast your noodles, once they're well browned you can proceed to boil and then prepare your meal as normal. Get ready for the most tasty pasta dish ever.