From a quick one-minute technique to an unusual ingredient, a top chef shared his best tips for elevating your pasta dishes
The chef also swears by an unusual ingredient for an even better taste
A London -based chef says a simple one-minute trick will make your pasta “perfectly supple”. Whether you’re whipping up a carbonara or bolognese, Nima Safae insists that letting the pasta rest in its sauce is the secret to culinary success.
He advised: “Remember to rest your pasta for one minute before serving, just like you rest a steak. Letting it sit in the sauce off the heat allows the flavours to settle and the texture to become perfectly supple.”
Nima is the proud owner of 40 Dean Street, an Italian restaurant and bar tucked away in the bustling heart of Soho. Having trained under Salvatore Ferrara, a chef nutritionist, who has worked alongside Marco Pierre White and Aldo Zilli, he’s no stranger to professional kitchens or recipe hacks.
The chef says letting the pasta rest makes all the difference(Image: Getty)
Sharing his most controversial culinary view, he acknowledges it’s unlikely to win over Italian tastes.
He believes that incorporating soy sauce into ragú can elevate its flavour from “fine to outstanding”.
“Adding soy sauce to a ragú gives it a deep, rich umami taste you can’t easily replicate with any other ingredient,” Nima shared, reports the Express.
“Yes, the entire population of Italy may hate me for it, but there’s something about the sweet yet tangy profile soy sauce adds that can turn any ragú from fine to outstanding.”
Meanwhile, should you be preparing a pasta dish this festive season, Nima offered advice on how cooks can inject some Italian flair into their cooking.
Chef Nima Safaei shared his top tips
“I love bringing subtle Italian touches to classic British dishes for Christmas, such as rosemary-infused olive oil, a squeeze of Amalfi lemon to brighten rich meats, or finishing vegetables with aged balsamic for sweetness and acidity,” he explained.
“When it comes to your meats, don’t underestimate the power of a slow, aromatic soffritto as a base.
“Celery, carrot, and onion cooked down until jammy brings an underlying warmth that makes a Christmas dish taste like it’s been prepared with real care.”
Sharing his “pro tip”, he continued: “I sometimes substitute my onion for shallots to give the dish a zingy sweetness.”
The chef says following a one-minute trick makes pasta ‘perfectly supple'(Image: Getty)
Sharing his cooking method for roast potatoes, Nima concluded: “The secret to the best roast potatoes of your life is all in the texture. I start by parboiling Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes with a pinch of baking soda, then giving them a good shake in the pot to rough up the edges.
“They go into very hot olive oil infused with garlic and rosemary, which guarantees a crisp, golden crust and a fluffy centre. A final sprinkle of salt as soon as they come out of the oven gives them the perfect flavour – they rarely make it to the table without someone pinching one.”
Dining and Cooking