Why I (almost) always use the Risotto Style Pasta Technique

[@EthanChlebowski]

Alright, so who's making pasta this week? This technique works great for a lot of the classic roman pastas (cacio e pepe, agio e olio, etc). Also, if you have any ingredient combos for me or other viewers drop them here.

[@allyeatworld]

200% going to try making that sausage broccoli pasta soon, that looks SO good 🤤 thank you for the amazing videos always, i've learnt so much from you + you're the only youtuber i have bell notifications on for!! :)

[@Dfastfoust]

What was the Pasta you used in the first dish you made called?

[@AelfricBlack]

Dude I make pasta literally every day for my entire family Current weekday family favorite is dried tomatoes and pistacchios It’s super easy to do you just blend the entire can of dried tomatoes with whatever herbs and spices and aromatics you like, plus some of the pasta’s cooking water. Then you smash up the pistachios and toast them in a pan, mix it all together, done!

[@kiru4802]

Gochujang mixed with Butter, Bacon and Mushroom!

[@Binsto]

chicory and smoked salmon

[@SnipeyDaSniper]

Ugh, this guy is such a tool - and, like all tools, extremely helpful and has made my life so much easier!

[@theactualcanadian8300]

I never got that insult. Tools are so useful!

[@FahadAyaz]

@@theactualcanadian8300 Americans 🤷‍♂️ I guess because a tool is something that gets used and abused? 🤔

[@sph3re]

They had us in the first half, I'm not gonna lie

[@meechtree5795]

@@theactualcanadian8300 a tool lacks mental capacity to know it’s being used

[@deanr3417]

Tool is a slang term for a d*ck. Now ya know.

[@lateknightucd]

People are really clowning on you for needing to stand by the stove while cooking? Ridiculous. You’re putting out killer content and it’s very much appreciated. As an aside, I’ve been using the absorption style of cooking pasta for years. It’s such a solid technique!

[@StrengthScholar0]

There's no substitution for patience in cooking.

[@nillou]

Some people have a hard time concentrating and accomodations can help, listening to some music or making a salad were some good tips

[@MBaldelli]

Those that mock him about 'standing by the stove' tell me that they're the sort of folk that treat cooking as a chore, and not remotely as a passion. For those folk, I feel for them. Cooking without passion is like food without the salt and spices; it might be good, but it's not as tasty.

[@Tenshi6Tantou6Rei]

lol seriously I've yelled at by brothers multiple times for leaving with something on the stove, sometimes they don't even set timers qiwkaijpq2a just watch something on your phone while you're cooking

[@combatbenyamin]

@@MBaldelli Those folks probably don't even cook at all lmao. I once saw a comment on another cooking video making snide jokes about tasting "hands" because the dude making the noodles was smacking them around. Like you can tell the person commenting has never touched a cutting board in his life lol

[@nictouris6054]

I love how you divide every dish into items, it makes it so easy to understand food. man, you're so good at teaching how to cook.

[@brendancurtin679]

Yes, thinking in categories of ingredients rather than individual ingredients is a game changer for cooking.

[@thescruffy360]

its just common sense?

[@vr3824]

@@thescruffy360 why so hatefull bro...

[@kristianhudec3707]

please dont take anything from this video about cooking pasta. Literally everything he did was wrong

[@shersinghsaini8510]

I totally agree 👍

[@THEStraysCHAN]

To the production team - loved the changes to the sponsor section. The timer is a nice reminder that it's a quick message that helps the channel. Also liked the "pasta cam" ties it back to the video nicely. Great job!

[@EthanChlebowski]

It's always a balancing act on how and where to fit sponsored segments so they fit well and don't detract from the actual video, so I appreciate the feedback on that change!

[@JerryB507]

@@EthanChlebowski It's always nice to see the sponsor tied into the video. Much better than a break away with, "today's sponsor is Yada Yada and Yada...." click fast forward. Cheers and Merry Christmas.

[@fabe61]

I agree on the timer! Don’t agree with other commenters here which praise ad integration. Unless it’s a full on skit that’s funny it’s own right, I think ads should be kept distinct. Helps with transparency I feel (as does the timer).

[@akale2620]

@@fabe61 he's not an astronaut

[@jzisser9]

Just came here to say the exact same thing. This is a great way to do sponsored sections! It's very considerate of the viewer.

[@DeclanWilde10]

ethan, I'm commenting to let you know that you've improved my home cooking game with every video. so many tips genuinely help me daily and got me so much deeper in home cooking. thanks man.

[@UGAgradRN]

You’re my newest subscription. Your channel is soooo practical for someone like me who usually makes elaborate meals but often just skips cooking because all my usual recipes are too elaborate for lazy days. Truly looking forward to learning from you and becoming the kind of person who plans meals responsibly and follows through.

[@oryxthemad]

After following this twice... I feel like I just leveled up in home cooking somehow. Like I really feel like I passed some kind of milestone. The effort-to-time ratio and the ability to use random BS is just incredible.

[@isaaclee5123]

Cooking with whatever random bs you have on hand and being creative with it is one of my favorite feelings

[@ludwigziffer6895]

I've made something like this a lot while I was living abroad for half a year. It's definitely a great technique, but I like to toast the dry pasta for a minute or so alongside a squirt of tomato paste to create a little more flavor. Also, while cooking the pasta, add one or two crushed whole cloves of garlic. They fall apart on their own during cooking and add a lot of flavor to the dish.

[@mygirldarby]

Did you stop making it after you were no longer "abroad" for half a year?

[@ludwigziffer6895]

@@mygirldarby I don't have to budget quite as much so now I make a slightly less sad version of it.

[@armacham]

Instead of American cheese, substitute citrus salt (sodium citrate) for your regular table salt. It's an emulsifier. With that in your sauce, your other cheeses will melt just like American melts. Citrus salt tastes the same as regular salt. It's also inexpensive and easy to find online.

[@williamshears9953]

Put this stuff in cotijo cheese, thank me later

[@vladakocinac4971]

yeah, and if you can't find it, it can be also be made by mixing baking soda and citric acid( or lemon juice I guess)

[@sandehbyss]

I believe Ethan's made a video about sodium citrate about a year ago

[@alexlonergan5096]

@Mina Ayo has a video on his KZbin channel on sodium citrate cheese sauce. Definitely check it out

[@EthanChlebowski]

Yep this is a great use case for sodium citrate as well!

[@CrudeCulinary]

This is so big brain, Ethan! Helps save the mess of a large pot of boiling water as well, while condensing flavor. Genius! Thank you for the inspiration!

[@silmiha5239]

This is my favorite way to make mac and cheese! The sauce gets so beautifully thick. It also works perfectly with leftover saucy dishes, I often convert thin curries and stews into pasta dishes with this technique.

[@ThePOPEofCOPE]

I love how accessible cooking seems when you make these videos. Just punk rock - no filler BS. I definitely plan on trying a couple of these recipes out for sure.

[@TillRaguin]

Ethan, let it be said: I LOVE YOU! Never heard of this manner of making pasta. It's AWESOME! I only watched the "basic technique" part so far, but 20 minutes later I have a beautiful and colorful dish: penne with a vegetable broth cube, 1 zucchini, 1 red bell pepper, broccoli, sesame and chia seeds, a bit of cheese.

[@mynameisandong]

I love this method so much!!

[@TheWhiteDragon3]

Oh hi Andong! Always a pleasure to see you in the comments!

[@freakviewall]

Moin Andong! Funny to find you in the big world of KZbin! Freu mich schon auf das nächste Video von Soup season!

[@Zeichenelia]

I love your content so much, aswell as Ethans :)

[@tizioincognito5731]

Sure. Why cook pasta in the proper way when you can ruin it in a terrific way?

[@catherine6097]

@@tizioincognito5731 by ww

[@zachpw]

I sort of do this but I cook the pasta in one pot/skillet and cook the rest in a non stick skillet. You can do both at once so it saves about ten minutes. If you pour the pasta with the remaining water and all into the nonstick skillet with the sauce, it makes the same texture as here. Clean up is easy; the steel pasta pot is easy to clean since it was just pasta and water, and the other pan is nonstick.

[@marcusbro2948]

I do that too primarily because thw amount he cooks in the video is lile half a portion for me and I rather have 4x that amount to have leftovers for work the next day

[@beacheykeen]

Aka the normal way aka the best way

[@barbrothers2]

that's ... not doing this. that's just cooking pasta the normal way.

[@zachpw]

@@barbrothers2 it's not, I use minimal water and start the pasta in cold water. The normal method is a large volume of already boiling water.

[@barbrothers2]

@@zachpw do you cook it for the same amount of time? in the video I thought he poured boiling water over it for some of them so I assumed you did the same. I'd be scared about how starting cold would affect the cook time.

[@Lushandvegandeliciosa]

Cheers! We live in Mexico and here we have a similar, but different way of cooking pasta. We sautee the pasta first in olive oil or butter, like you would if you were making risotto, then we add the wine, then stock or water and then finish it off like you do. You should try it with angel hair or macaroni. It is absolutely delicious and adds another layer of flavour.

[@40nights40daystv]

Ethan. Every single one of your videos is a banger. Literally the king rn of makable food content on KZbin. I have learned so much through your channel. Thank god non of your recipes contain duck fat or some crazy 3 day reduced Demi glaze, I’m poor lmao

[@andrewbaker1449]

I'm a big fan of the risotto method for pasta - I do a variation with roasted Brussels sprouts, then I finish the pasta with cream cheese, parmesan and lemon zest!

[@mitchellanderson9324]

I discovered this method a while back - really glad you are advertising it on your channel. It's a life saver method!

[@AkashiXI]

I've been doing this for years too! Chef John has a similar video (in terms of technique) in which he called it a one-pan pasta, which also includes italian sausage. I never took out the ingredients while making the pasta risotto section, but given how yours came out... I'm definitely switching to your technique. Great video as always, Ethan!

[@andrewwastaken2]

Dude it is nuts to see the progression of your video quality in such a short time. I love your style and taste it’s very realistic for us working full time folk.

[@proimsat]

I tried second one and I genuinely loved them! your technique of making the pasta in the same bowl and not boiling separately was also a stroke of genius. I can't wait to find some fresh chorizo so I can try the others too! Thank you for the ideas.

[@sikxramm]

I think it's worth pointing out to all the newbies of cooking that this works so well because you are able to emulsify (read mix together) the starch that the pasta releases during cooking with a fat to make a creamy sauce. I am wondering if you could make a faux carbonara this way, excited to try it out!

[@EthanChlebowski]

100%. If someone was having trouble with cacio e pepe or aglio e olio the more well known ways this is the techinique I would tell them to use, makes it so much easier. It's great for carbonara too, just turn that heat down or off right at the end and stir in the yolks + parmigiano mixture!

[@gerriebell2128]

That is, I understand, how carbonara and pasta Alfredo are both made in Italy. See the channel Pasta Grammar on the subject.

[@t20sgrunt36]

Been cooking pasta like this for years. Fav sauce to date is : Jar of drained roasted red peppers, 4 garlic cloves, some heavy whipping cream, fresh parm (blend together),. Then cook pasta in low water method, add half stick butter, and pour sauce on top, stir until blended. It's amazeballs!

[@KoenigOetti]

Probably cause this consists of like 50% fat lmao

[@alpha5704]

cool no one cares

[@t20sgrunt36]

@@KoenigOetti and we’ll worth it every now and then 🤪

[@Amin-vm5jf]

@@alpha5704 you're cringe btw

[@ileutur6863]

@@t20sgrunt36 ...but whipping cream? Isn't that sweet?

[@David-ww2sg]

I love the convenience of one-pot dishes like this. Definitely trying some of these!

[@nairsheasterling9457]

I love these vids because they don't just throw recipes - they actually talk a bit about the logic and theory behind the recipes - perfect for mad kitchen scientists like me! This will be a staple, I think! Edit: a little list of combos: -Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs -garlic, onion, spinach, cherry/grape tomatoes (using Babish's idea of burst cherry tomato sauce - tomato paste optional) -chicken stock (both for braising the chicken thighs in after searing to emulsify the fat into a gravy and the pasta, even a little for the vegetables) -whole milk (I only have access to pasteurized, use unpasteurized if you know how to heat it properly. It will go half-and-half with chicken stock on cooking the pasta, keep aside in case you need extra creamy liquid), a couple tablespoons favorite butter (unsulted, if possible) -Linguine or Penne Rigate work best, but any favorite pasta that can pair with a rustic rosa sauce is fine. Fettucine is an acceptable substitute to linguine in a pinch. -Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, various italian herbs or dry spices, to taste -pecorino romano +mozzarella and other herbacious garnishes as desired. Some tips: Use the spices to form a dry rub on the chicken thighs before browning and then braising. I often cook 3-5 thighs at a time, and 4 cups of broth usually is enough. Flip thighs halfway through reduction of broth, reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Preserve the gravy and shred the chicken into bite-size chunks. Also, you can add cajun or southwestern spices to create variations! On the southwest, black beans, corn, and chiles of your choice, fresh or canned/diced go well! The cajun one, you can add andouille sausage to the chicken (cut the amount of chicken used in half and sub the rest with andouille if you care about maintaining pasta+sauce+veggie+protein ratios. Do not slice or cut your tomatoes. Let them burst of their own accord while heating and gently press to encourage liquids to emulsify into the sauce while heating once burst. You can use parmigiana reggiano in place of pecorino romano if you wish. I prefer pecorino's flavor profile, but any similar style of hard, aged cheese that is grated fine will suffice. Pair with a salad of your choice! I recommend a lighter dressing to counter the richer pasta, like a raspberry vinaigrette and walnut salad. Admittedly not a weeknight meal - the chicken has to braise for an hour or two to reduce 4 cups of stock to a fatty gravy - but it is worth it, and you don't need to watch the chicken too much so long as you flip every 20-30 minutes and check your levels. The simmer should be medium/medium-low, though you could simmer it harder if you want it less fall-apart-off-the-bone and want to keep the thighs whole. You can also just remove the skins and slowly extract all the fat from them on low heat and sear/brown it without the braising method.

[@kadeemlewis2282]

I first used this method, following Kenji's stopetop Mac and Cheese recipe and it has become my go to method since then. The amount of added calories you can skip by making the concentrated pasta water into a sauce is amazing. It also makes infusing the pasta with flavor so much easier by changing your pasta liquid.

[@mariapaulagl]

I don't get it how this method will help in skipping calories.... Could you explain, please?

[@mette5869]

@@mariapaulagl Im guessing that by using the pasta liquid as a sauce, you skip unhealthier alternatives such as cream

[@livelylocalmarkets3188]

This method is great if you don't mind overcooking your pasta, and I would argue doesn't really save time. I prefer a pot + pan (wok) method. I use my electric kettle to speed up the water boiling - pasta in pot with boiling water - cook 30 seconds less than shortest time box recommends (or to your own taste). While waiting for water to boil in kettle/reboil in pot, I've prepped my veggies/meats etc. Cook veggies in other pan, I use a wok (while pasta boils). Then depending on the sauce I'm making either take out veggies/protein and make sauce, or make it all at once. Then pour in some pasta water as needed for sauce - drain pasta, and combine into pan. It's one more dish I'm making dirty but it's faster and I know the pasta will be al dente every time. I have more flexibility on sauces, and can cook a ton of pasta and not use it all at once.

[@bodycounter9386]

You can just not overcook your pasta with his technique though? There is no reason why your pasta cannot be al dente with his technique. It is just a bit harder to get the timings right.

[@jimdolinski8655]

Made the sausage broccoli penne pasta tonight in my Wok and it was so good. Can't wait to break this technique out for other proteins like chicken or shrimp. Thank you for putting this highly quality content out.

[@ashleysesay8148]

Hi Ethan, love how your techniques always find a way to include the maillard reaction. I personally think this is key to getting the most flavour out of cooking, especially with meats. It always takes food to next level. Have you done a video exclusively on the maillard reaction yet?

[@Biochemguy]

Honestly just reducing the number of dishes I need to make dinner is a huge help here. Going from a pot for sauce, pan for protein, and sauce pan for sauce down to 1? Yes please

[@Cryptex410]

Pasta cam during the sponsor block is *chefs kiss*

[@motron1845]

Great Video! I've been making a lot of one pot pastas recently and a really important tip is to not over stir the pasta. Too much stirring causes the starches to over dissolve into the water making it thick and gooey like risotto.

[@emcnelis1]

I do like this method but I sometimes find that there actually ends up being too much starch. I usually boil the pasta in a similarly small amount of water, but not so little that it evaporates too too much. Then I’ll start any veggies/meat/seasonings etc in a second pan, then build the sauce in there, moving water over from the pasta pan as needed to emulsify. And of course transferring the pasta when it’s nearly done and finishing the cooking process in the sauce. I find it gets a similar high starch level this way but it’s not so much that it becomes gummy at all. Plus you have more control over the starch level.

[@Noway-sg8md]

I believe thats the 'proper' technique (if there is one), and Ethan's method here just reduces it to a one-pot technique. I am in the same boat as you, I prefer the pasta in a separate pot so I can use as much or little of the starchy pasta water as needed, but then you've got an extra pot to clean and that's no fun... :o)

[@luiysia]

but then you still have to wash two pots 🥺

[@Purplesquigglystripe]

@@Noway-sg8md Yeah, Ethan's way works well if you have limited space... and pots haha

[@mikebowl1427]

I do the same.

[@moarnalidsch895]

I control the starch level by pouring what I think is too much water into a seperate pot for later use.

[@j1radmaster783]

Thank you so much! After watching this video it inspired me! I made a simple pasta. In my le-cruset risotto pan I fried garlic, shallots, onion and a orange bell pepper. Set it aside. Threw in some red wine, balsamic vinegar and a bit of olive oil into the hot pan with the remaining juices. Made a reduction and added that to my veg. After that I boiled some chicken stock and threw in a package of gnocchi. Reduced that all down to a beautiful sauce, splashed a bit of hot milk in. Threw in my veggies and it was fantastic! By no means perfrct. But for a 100% fly by the seat of my pants dish, it turned out way better than any other times I've done that. The sauce was savory, a little sweet and lots of flavor! I'll be mixing this process up for years to come! Thank you for the awesome clear content with easy to follow instructions. As well as just giving the basics of what you need so you can build from there. Absolute 11/10!

[@FuzzyHornet]

Wow, this worked really great. Did this with some homemade turkey stock from thanksgiving, and leftover broccoli and mushrooms as well as some toasted breadcrumbs & parm that I had on hand. I love how the technique is so adaptable, but that risotto-style stock+starch concentration is no joke. Also would never have thought to use a wok but it killed and worked as advertised with some bronze-cut rigatoni (see Ethan's other vid on bronze vs. teflon cut)

[@jacobosmanhjortlund9162]

Super happy that someone finally covered pasta risotatta! Has really brought my aglio e olio and cacio e pepe to whole 'nother level!

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

Sounds great! I need to give this a try. A favorite of mine is angel hair with pesto, bacon, and asparagus; any pasta would work well with that combo though.

[@ajdann02]

Peace out to any haters, my brother! I love how you simplify cooking and share the techniques making it fun!

[@Cam_Ske]

"this guy is a tool" haha. Forget that, your videos are awesome and inspire me to understand the various techniques that can be applied to different cuisine. Keep it up, cant wait to see you hit 1 mil!

[@mattk221]

Ethan, I have been following you for a month now. Started when I saw your video with Mike G. Your videos have taken my home cooking life to the next level. I have made this dish at least once a week with variation, but delicious everytime!

[@z1rkel4o]

I really love cooking pasta like this. It's also an almost foolproof way to make carbonara with eggs because the eggs don't curdle as much for some reason. Also if you use hot/boiling water from a kettle like Ethan does you can even use long pasta and it will still fit in a medium sized pan. If you have a cast iron and bake whole pieces of chicken, it's an excellent way to deglaze the drippings, and I find that certain vegetables like onions and garlic can be cooked and then directly doused with water if you want to do something simpler.

[@tizioincognito5731]

Please don't call your garbage carbonara. A bit of respect.

[@z1rkel4o]

@@tizioincognito5731 i hope your eggs always curdle and your water is undersalted for as long as you live

[@tizioincognito5731]

@@z1rkel4o I am Italian and I know how to make a proper carbonara.

[@z1rkel4o]

@@tizioincognito5731 who cares

[@tizioincognito5731]

@@z1rkel4o it is a bit offensive when you see your culture and cuisine treated this way... But if you like to eat junk, no problem. Just call it something different since is not carbonara, the same way if you cook a pie with cream and strawberries is not a damned sachertorten. That's all.

[@hcnye]

I like this really honest approach to cooking: you can make literally whatever you want to make...whenever. Just keep in kind a few key techniques and you'll be good to go. Freestyle it as much as you want, but also try to be a good cook too lol

[@dominicbiggs628]

God i love your recipes. Gives me so much inspiration for just amazing tasty healthy midweek meals.

[@iOmniphobia]

I’ve started using this reduction method with a simple butter noodle recipe and the results are incredible. Cooking your pasta water down and using it for the sauce is absolutely my favorite for any low sauce noodle meal!

[@goldeneaglereborn]

Everytime I come here this man drops knowledge on my head. What interesting and easy way to make your pasta 😋🍝

[@VictorDo]

You really don't need a recipe, a level of cooking we should all aspire to get to. And to use up whatever leftovers we have. Thank you for the video Ethan.

[@evanduvall2359]

Can't wait till my boi Ethan hits one mil. So happy for how far this man has come this year, especially production wise. 🙌

[@abigaillubbee979]

He's well on his way there. Sending love from South Africa 🇿🇦

[@trashasaurus]

Just made a variation of this for NYE dinner; went with Italian Sausage, Rigatoni, and Spinach. Turned out absolutely amazing! Me and my girlfriend loved it, thanks so much for doing what you do! Love your channel and pulling for you to break 1 million subs in 2022! P.S: Screw the whiners, any guy with the screen name Cats are Lame can't be trusted anyway.

[@v4valentin]

Pretty much the only way I make my pasta now, such a helpful video.

[@Saully1]

I've been trying something similar recently, personally found my now new favourite meal some time ago which is just a cream sauce with pasta, peas, salmon and dill which is just absolutely amazing.

[@skateboarderlucc]

sounds lovely!

[@artvandelay113]

I’ve made versions of two of these recipes this week and they are absolutely amazing. A revelation. Thank you for your videos

[@mrabinov100]

Made a version of the chorizo pasta last night and it was soo good! It reminded of those hamburger helper and pasta roni boxed pasta mixes in the best way.

[@languagechefcorey]

I love this in some ways and for certain sauces - I've done it many times (really great for camping!), however, I also feel it be should be noted that you might want SUCH a starchy sauce for all sauces, and there is such a thing as too goopy, too much *amido*. I feel like boiling in a smaller amount of water then removing the pasta a few minutes sooner than the cook time is the sweet spot. Some starch is great, but what I'm saying is it can get really gloppy quickly and the flavors may feel a little less "clean" - it just depends what you're looking for. For some rice dishes you should rinse the rice to remove excess starch so it's light and fluffy, for others you should keep it in because you want more of a gooey vibe, it just depends on the texture you're after. All in all though, I really appreciate you sharing this "risottare" technique.

[@joel5956]

I used to make Hamburger Helper a lot when I was a kid and now I'm questioning my entire childhood. This is exactly as simple.

[@emily-kk2vs]

loved the bit with the 5 sections to this dish, its so easy to remember and create stuff around that, its a perfect way to make cooking simplier to understand

[@emily-kk2vs]

literally thinking whats in my fridge rn to make this for dinner tonight lol

[@starofcctv94]

Literally everything this guy makes he cooks once a week lol

[@mygirldarby]

@@Cardthulhu Do you think he cooks three meals a day? I doubt it. And being into health and fitness doesn't make you eat more than three meals a day. It's healthier not to be eating so much. He probably cooks more often to develop recipes for his channel though.

[@eugeemz]

@@mygirldarby i cant stand eating the same meal for 2 days so i make different ones, these are very simple take about 15 minutes to make Its not that hard to cook man

[@mustwereallydothis]

Lol I had the same thought. What I actually thought was, "This dude must eat seven meals a day."

[@backstroker329]

Thank you for becoming one of my stand by cooking channels. You are quickly joining the ranks with my other favorites Ragusea and Internet Shaquille.

[@Iceboxbeefboy]

Honestly I never thought of cooking pasta like a risotto and it sounds so awesome I mean you’re just letting the pasta really absorb the flavor of everything you do this way and that’s nuts

[@Katspearl]

You're my favorite foodtuber ever because you're so home cook friendly!!

[@noahgeerdink5144]

I can imagine this working great with traditional Italian Bolognese sauce. Just repair your sauce how you would always, in a big pot and let it simmer for a few hours. Then when you're ready to serve, cook the pasta in a wok as Ethan did and once all the liquid is boiled down just throw a few ladles of your sauce over that and mix it. The benefits are that you use less water, no need to heat up your big pot of sauce, just what you're going to use and you'll thicken the sauce a little bit more. Win win win

[@idaosbornfrandsen7162]

I've done a variation of this where I made the sauce and them cooked the pasta in the sauce in the end.

[@GadgetsGearCoffee]

I've made that pasta before and I couldn't believe how different taking the sausage out of the casing and letting that fat become sauce was different than throwing the cut sausages on top. That pasta cooking technique is awesome.

[@DoctorMcHerp]

Let's make a comparison. Traditional method: - Big pot of water that you need to boil. The addition of a pot means more cleanup. More water also requires more energy, which means increased gas/electric usage, and therefore costs you more in your utility bill. - Because you're boiling pasta in a big pot of water, now you need a tool for straining the pasta from the water. Yet again, more cleanup. - Most of that water is gonna get thrown away. If you're pinching pennies, it costs you more. Now, onto the Risotto-style method: - One pan, no additional pot or tools for straining, less cleanup. - Less water, less waiting time for the water to boil, less energy required to make it boil, less cost if you're pinching pennies. - Requires more management, but overall probably comes together faster. Some would call it inconvenient, but I'd rather stir and watch my food come together than have to deal with more dishes. Nobody likes to do the dishes at home. I'd say that for your average, busy American person, the better method is obvious. But as with all Italian food videos, I expect some uptight Italian to complain about it or call it blasphemous because "that's not how we do it in Italy."

[@ileutur6863]

Counter argument: this video was done on an induction stove which can do everything fairly quickly. Those of us cooking on electric would have a much harder time keeping the temperature we want during the cooking stage and then bringing the water up to a boil during the boiling stage. I know damn sure that my old ass burners would take ages to get up to temperature. For electric, its easier to just have a pot going on another burner and then make the sauce separately

[@fredidrugman1485]

Bro what are you on that's how we do pasta in Italy as well my guy, it's a technique commonly used in certain areas, I personally don't agree with all the toppings and flavour combinations but I'm not in the position to tell people what tastes good because it's personal

[@rmmm8666]

It's about how much you make. Most of the traditional recipes were designed in an age of large family meals, and for large quantities, Ethan's method is a pain.

[@Default78334]

It's also a technique that probably works better when cooking for one or two than a large family.

[@tizioincognito5731]

I can simply tell you that we don't "cook" pasta this way because the result is disgusting. Or maybe you think all Italian are stupid and you discover the hot water? Wanna eat junk to spare one minute and one pot to wash? Up to you. We love good food, and we are happy to leave this garbage to you Americans.

[@ioanaionescu1462]

I am such a big fan of pasta that I almost eat it two times a week (at the point which is kinda unhealthy but it's a quick an easy meal that keeps me full) and this new preparation approach it's fantastic! Not only there are less dishes to wash but the pasta absorbs more aroma.

[@JonathanKayne]

Never really had a problem actively stirring a pot for 6 minutes straight. I just put on an audiobook while I cook.

[@firama101]

Ever since your original video where you talk about just putting enough water from the kettle to cook pasta, it's the only way I make it. It's such a better way to make pasta. I usually use white wine, garlic, parm reg, and Italian herbs to put in right near the end. I then finish it with some good butter and toss to get a nice silky sauce. 20/10 would recommend. Thanks Ethan for bringing this method to my kitchen.

[@worldwide_cruising]

*Ethans cooking ideas and recipes never fail to amaze me.* *Merry christmas everyone!* 🎅 😈

[@Khazandar]

Onepots are not his idea, by any means. They've been around for years.

[@cameronfletcher5835]

The way you break down your recipes into stages and types of components is so helpful! Thank you for your work

[@AlexMint]

Yeah, I've been using the "pasotto" technique for years, learned it from Frankie Celenza.

[@adriandiaz5822]

Very clever way to include the sponsor in the video, didn't got the urge to skip it. Great work!

[@ileutur6863]

Question: what do you do if the sauce doesn't reduce fast enough and you're at risk of overcooking your pasta?

[@joel5956]

I guess you could add in a flour/water slurry in a pinch to thicken it up. You might want some extra cheese or whatever too so you aren't just eating a bunch of water or stock.

[@EthanChlebowski]

If you are using something like cheese or tomato paste, just add some more in. Secondly, make a little cornstarch slurry with a bit of water and pour that in and it will thicken really quickly. Lastly, overcooked pasta isn't all that bad tbh, so just try to experiment and dial in the timing for next time!

[@tizioincognito5731]

Answer: cook the pasta in the proper way instead of this abomination.

[@ileutur6863]

@@tizioincognito5731 lol

[@evewolton5792]

Can absolutely vouch for this technique, tried this italian sausage pasta recipe last week and it was absolutely incredible - easy and delicious. This guy never fails to disappoint!

[@xoreign]

Are people actually complaining about 6 minutes of attended cooking time? Attention span really has gone down if do hahah

[@slipperynickels]

takes me longer than six minutes to make a breakfast sandwich in the morning with stuff i already cooked the previous day. seriously, who the hell complains about six whole minutes, lol.

[@darshitkoladiya]

Not all of them. If you think about it people are actually mad over the fact that for years and years they were using gallons of water and wasting gas or electricity to bring it to boil and so on but there was a easier way out. A lot of people complaining are also traditional snobs. It's easier on ego to complain and make up excuses than to accept you were doing something wrong for years.

[@jjo7279]

I’m sure you won’t read this. I work for the Big 4 (in an audit role which I’m sure you did before switching to Consulting) and am really inspired that you quit it all to start a KZbin channel. Props to you. Your channel is awesome.

[@MrJohnManiac]

Cool technique, I utilize it sometimes as well. But Italians would hate you for it :D

[@funkyforager3897]

Addressed the haters with grace. Making the first and last next week, always need more recipes to use my venison in

[@digitalsnot]

did this last night with frozen stir fry veggies, penne pasta, pepperjack cheese and chicken sausage links. amazing. i’m not a huge fan of red sauce pasta so this concept is an awesome concept to learn. thank you. liking and subscribing

[@gtimbo]

Love your videos Ethan! Can I make one tiny request though? You often add ingredients into the dish in one order, while your voice-over uses a different order (e.g. at 5:47 in this video). For those of us in another country, where things sometimes have different names, or when you're using somewhat exotic ingredients, it can be disconcerting and makes it harder to follow. Having the audio match the video just makes everything much clearer. It's a small issue, granted, but would just add that next layer of polish to your already excellent production.

[@AndyPresto75]

I use my wok so often for stir fries and curries but it never occurred to me to cook pasta in it too. My mind is blown and I can't wait to try this technique for dinner tomorrow night and will even include a mashed chorizo sausage with some fresh parm as that part of the vid made me salivate. Thanks as always Ethan and I think you've become my fave cooking channel on youtube.

[@Rocky-yt7kv]

Just finished devouring the first recipe, that was a winner and something I'll make again and again! 👌🏾

[@jatinkatyal96]

Hey Ethan! I noticed that adding equal amount of water to pasta usually leaves just enough residual for sauce after 10-15m. No jeed to stir gain n again

[@giovannibettini3464]

Coming from an Italian, this channel has some of the tastiest-looking pasta recipes 🤤

[@interestingasfck]

Looks awesome as always, Ethan! I love your recipes!

[@katielady873]

Your teaching style is great. I have ADHD and have problems focusing most of the time, but I was able to absorb everything you said. Thanks!

[@bertjebever]

I'll be honest, I've been making risottos for ages. Never even crossed my mind to cook pasta this way! I will absolutely try this.

[@jimchallender4616]

I've seen something like this before, but you made it much easier to understand what/why/when to do! Gathering the ingredients now - Farfalle is gonna be the star this evening.

[@xXxCrazyb3astxXx]

Your videos have been very advantageous to building my cooking repertoire, but this video takes the cake. Just made a great pasta with very random things from my fridge. Thank you sir

[@rinjuchenet772]

Been using this technique since I saw it in your mac and cheese video. It’s such an intuitive way of cooking! Use it almost every day.

[@odw32]

Awesome technique! Using a high quality starchy pasta for this is important though, it would be difficult to do this with a fast-dried budget brand. Also about the "it's too involved" criticism: I understand not everyone enjoys cooking, but I do feel like too many people are on a quest to get the quickest meal possible, and focus only on the edible end result. The smell of food, a glass of pre-dinner wine, sneakily snacking on a few ingredients, and having a zen moment in the kitchen alone with my thoughts while slicing or stirring -- that is my definition of heaven. Too many people chase that state of being through mindfulness courses, when the kitchen is already the ultimate meditation room.

[@dgax65]

I enjoy using this technique for pasta dishes. It really does concentrate those flavors in the pasta. I'm going to try that chorizo pasta; looks tasty.

[@cbingu]

The whole point of cooking is so you will have to stay there while the dish is cooking. Some ppl really don't understand it. I will try this recipe out, looks super

[@YourBroL]

Gotta say that was one of the smartest ways I've ever seen anyone do an ad. Bravo

[@jeanahollings]

I loved your previous video about basically this same process! I don't use it ever time but I do sometimes and I like it!

[@neldormiveglia1312]

I've been making my pasta like this since forever because it is what made sense the most to me. When I am making a big pot I tend to make it the regular way (boil it apart, drain and then mix with the sauce); however, if I'm cooking something just for myself, I do this because it's quicker, easier to clean up and it ends up with an already creamier sauce to begin with (vs boiling the pasta and mixing with the sauce, if I don't allow it to rest for a few hours, the pasta doesn't soak it and I actually like it when everything's well incorporated).

[@fredspina1757]

I hate throwing out leftovers sooo I tend to make up my own recipes. 90% of the times we love what comes out. I did write down some of these pasta concepts and I will try it.

[@WhateverGoes999]

I hardly make comments on youtube. But after watching and trying one of the recipes, I couldn’t resist. You just made my miserable pasta-filled student life better!

[@tpammt8276]

Tried the first pasta with a couple variations--no garlic or roasted peppers on hand so I used chopped sweet onions and chopped bell pepper with the vietnamese chili garlic sauce. Came out great and was pretty damn easy. Will absolutely be using this in the future.

[@ryanandrewbaker]

Ethan, as a YT premium subcriber to who pays to get rid of ads, I am frustrated by but understand the sponsored ads in the middle of vids, but this one fit so well. Well played.

[@theophrastusbombastus1359]

I can't believe people are complaining they have to actually stand and, like, literally _cook_ the meal. I never walk away from what I'm cooking, unless it's a pizza or something done in the oven - otherwise I stand there and stir whatever is in that pan/wok

[@sneezydeezymcdeluxe7015]

Agreed. Only time I don't is if it's a dish in the oven or something in a slow cooker.