Scientist shares how to cook pasta for less - but Italians aren't convinced

05 January 2023 , 11:39

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The cooking method can save you money - but it is controversial among chefs (stock photo) (Image: Getty Images)

Pasta is one of the best budget-friendly meals going. Not only is the Italian delicacy cheap to buy in shops, but it cooks in a matter of minutes. Well, it turns out you can enjoy the meal for even less than you might expect thanks to a money-saving tip.

The most common method used when cooking pasta involves bringing water to the boil, before adding pasta and leaving the pot on the stove. But there's a different way to cook pasta that uses less energy, and it's got the backing of a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.

Instead of leaving the hob on a high temperature, quantum theorist, Giorgio Parisi recommends turning the heat down or off completely.

Experts say you can turn down the heat when cooking pasta (stock photo) (Getty Images)

Popularised by the scientist, the historic method is not without its critics. But he certainly thinks it's worth a go. Recommending the approach on his Facebook, Parisi shared a post by Alessandro Busiri Vici.

Vici suggested you don't need to stick to the gas-intensive method but can instead turn the heat off once the water has boiled, provided you pop a lid on your pan. Simply wait for one minute longer than you would normally, then serve your meal as usual if you want to follow his tip.

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Sharing further advice, Parisi added that covering your pan is key, as it prevents heat loss. He also revealed that he prefers to keep the heat on a low setting but he said Vici's method works too, and it has the added bonus of using even less energy.

Not everyone is a fan of the trick, though, and the tip proved divisive among leading chefs. "I remember it well when at my parents' house the gas cylinder went out just as the spaghetti was cooking," said Antonello Colonna, in conversation with Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

"And when that happened, [we] were in trouble, because the consistency of the product was now compromised. Meanwhile, chef Luigi Pomata added: "It would be a disaster."

Weighing in with his expert opinion, Davide Scabin reportedly told La Repubblica: "Parisi is right, pasta can be cooked with the heat off."

Amber O'Connor