The Unexpected Way To Flavor Pasta Before You Cook It

Pasta is often used more as a vessel for other tasty ingredients rather than as a flavorful component itself. There are endless ways to level up a sauce that will make a top-notch pasta dish, but the noodles are essentially just along for the ride. However, one basic procedure can transform something like a humdrum fettuccine Alfredo into a meal with personality that will have some folks wondering why they've never tried it.

How can you achieve this? Instead of reaching for a stock pot, grab a grill basket. Grilling perfectly seasoned meat and vegetables imparts a welcome smoky flavor while also caramelizing the outside, a similar concept that applies to pasta. By lightly grilling the noodles they take on that same smoky flavor that will carry through to the completed dish, allowing them to stand out on their own rather than playing second fiddle to the sauce. As the starch interacts with the heat, it also gains a delightful crispy texture that's unlike most variations on pasta that you've had before.

While preparing pasta this way doesn't take much time, it does require some patience. Grilling dried pasta doesn't require the same technique demanded by some of the more traditional barbecued foods. Noodles are much more delicate than a steak or a hearty vegetable, and so they need to be grilled with a watchful eye and careful attention to detail.

Pasta can be grilled before it ever gets submerged in water or sauce. The key is to lightly oil the noodles so the heat doesn't char the edges. You'll also need to turn them constantly while they're on the grill until they acquire a golden-brown color. A medium-high temperature will help you ensure the pasta achieves a good color and doesn't burn. If too many noodles are overcrowding the basket, they aren't properly oiled, or the temperature is set too high, the result can be a multicolored batch of starch, with some noodles looking burned while others will appear as though they never spent any time on the grill. Done correctly, however, most noodles will only need about four minutes to take on a good color and smoky flavor.

You can also parboil pasta before it hits the grill. Start boiling the pasta with the same amount of water you would typically use but remove it from the pot when it is only half done. When the pasta is no longer stiff but still has a ways to go before reaching al dente status, it can withstand the heat of the grill without becoming mushy. After being grilled, the noodles don't need much more time to complete cooking and can be finished in a simmering sauce. If you're having trouble deciding how to top off the dish, keep in mind that your pantry is probably filled with canned soups can make delicious pasta sauces.