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Italian Pasta
The Italian 10-10-100 rule: perfect water and salt quantities for any pasta batch size.
Water (litres) = Pasta weight (g) ÷ 100 Salt (g) = Water (litres) × 10 Example: 400 g pasta Water = 400 ÷ 100 = 4 litres Salt = 4 × 10 = 40 g coarse sea salt Salinity check: Salt (g) ÷ Water (ml) × 100 = ~1%
| Level | Salt per litre | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 7 g/L | Dietary / low-sodium menus |
| Standard Italian | 10 g/L | All classic pasta dishes |
| Strong | 12 g/L | Long pasta, very al dente |
| Professional batch | 8–10 g/L | Pasta cooker, high turnover |
The classic Italian rule is 10-10-100: 10 g of coarse sea salt per 1 litre of water per 100 g of dry pasta. This produces water that tastes 'as salty as the sea' — about 1% salinity — which seasons the pasta from within as it cooks.
Yes, professional pasta cookers often use a 7:1 ratio (700 ml per 100 g) with constant water replenishment. However, with less water the starch concentration rises quickly, which can make pasta sticky. For a single batch at home, stick to 1 litre per 100 g.
Add salt when the water reaches a rolling boil, just before adding pasta. Adding salt to cold water is fine for energy efficiency but does not affect the outcome. Never add oil to pasta water — it coats the pasta and prevents sauce from adhering.
The shape does not change the water-to-pasta ratio. Larger shapes (rigatoni, paccheri) may benefit from a touch more water due to surface area, but the 1 L per 100 g rule works for all dry pasta formats.
Italian tradition calls for coarse sea salt (sale grosso marino). Fine salt dissolves faster but the same weight applies. Avoid iodised salt — at scale its flavour is detectable. For 1 kg of pasta, use 100 g of coarse sea salt in 10 litres of water.
Yes — this is the classic Italian guideline. Sea water is roughly 3.5% salt; well-salted pasta water is about 1–1.5%. Tasting the water before adding pasta is a standard check in professional Italian kitchens. Under-salted water produces bland pasta that no sauce can fully rescue.