Line cook in Little Rock swore by tasting the pasta water, and I finally gave it a shot

Alex Ellis · 2026-10-18T18:10:03.286161+00:00

I figured it was just a cheesy trick line from old cooking shows, but I tasted the water before dropping the fettuccine last Friday and it was flat as tap water. Added another palm of salt (about a tablespoon for 4 quarts) and the pasta actually came out seasoned on its own, no extra salt needed on the plate. Now I'm curious how many other "old cook" habits I've been tossing out the window.

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Line cook in Little Rock swore by tasting the pasta water, and I finally gave it a shot | Chefs - Thought Shares