Pasta Queen Nadia Caterina's 4 Cardinal Rules You Shouldn't Break

If you’ve ever dared to whip up a homemade pasta dish, you know it’s no easy feat. Enter Nadia Caterina Munno, AKA The Pasta Queen—cookbook author, social media sensation, and heir to a Roman pasta dynasty. She’s got the insider knowledge you need to avoid kitchen disasters, and trust us, her rules are non-negotiable. Ready to cook like a true pasta pro? Here are her four cardinal rules you better not break.

Overcooking your pasta is criminal 

If you've donned the Italian chef's hat and attempted to dish out pasta for your guests, there's a 100 per cent chance that you know that al dente is the perfect level beyond which you should not cook your pasta. Nadia Caterina Munno says that an overcooked pasta carries a sloppy taste that has isn't an enjoyable experience to eat. To avoid wasting precious cooking time, she recommends to keep checking its texture. 

Don’t you dare break the spaghetti

This one’s simple—don’t snap your spaghetti before cooking it. Breaking pasta ruins the whole vibe, and not just visually. You’ll also miss out on the beauty of twirling those long strands around your fork like a pro. Trust Nadia on this one: spaghetti stays intact, or else.

Burning garlic is a sin

This might be the most sacred rule of all: burning garlic is blasphemous in The Pasta Queen’s kitchen. Why? Because burnt garlic turns bitter and ruins the flavour profile of your entire dish. Keep your heat low and maybe add a splash of broth to prevent disaster. You’ve been warned.

Pasta water is precious

Never waste pasta water as it proves crucial in saving additional pasta water that ca sprinkled on prepped pasta. You can further use it into marinara sauce. Also, pasta water can be saved for over six months, according to Nadia Caterina Munno.