Source: FOSS Cooking (community recipes)
Bring a large pot (at least 4 litres) three-quarters full of water to a rolling boil. This volume matters: cramped pasta steams rather than cooks, and starch leaches into insufficient water, turning the pasta gluey. Once boiling, salt the water heavily — aim for seawater salinity, around 10 grams per litre. Taste it. This is your only window to season the pasta itself; you cannot season it properly after it's cooked. The salt pasta-water|raises the boiling point slightly and seasons the starch as it hydrates.
Add the dried pasta in one motion and stir immediately for the first 30 seconds to prevent sticking. Maintain a rolling boil throughout cooking. The vigorous agitation prevents the pasta pieces from bonding to each other and ensures even heat distribution. This is not optional — a gentle simmer undercooked the interior before the surface finished. Keep the heat high enough that the water returns to a full boil within a minute of adding the pasta, even if you need to lower it slightly once it threatens to overflow.
Check doneness at 2 minutes before the packet's stated time by tasting a piece. You're aiming for al-dente|slight resistance at the centre when you bite, not mushiness. The pasta continues cooking slightly from residual heat after draining, so stop when it still has a thin core of firmness. This texture is not a preference — it's the point at which the starch has gelatinised enough to hold its shape but the gluten hasn't broken down into mush.
Drain the pasta directly into a colander without rinsing (the surface starch helps the sauce cling). While it's still steaming, scatter torn fresh basil leaves and add a knob of cold butter — about 20 grams for every 100 grams of dried pasta. Toss quickly and continuously for 30 seconds. The residual heat emulsifies the butter with the starch and pasta water, coating each strand. This basic-technique|emulsification creates a glossy, cohesive dish far better than any cream. Plate immediately and serve.
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