It appears that the majority of us have been preparing our pasta sauces incorrectly.
Pasta is a cherished meal for its versatility, affordability, and ability to cater to a range of tastes. However, it seems many of us have been making a fundamental error from the get-go, particularly when it comes to creating the sauce for our chosen pasta dish.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has revealed that many people overlook a crucial preparation step with one of the key ingredients in many pasta sauces – the humble yet powerful onion.
In an Instagram post, Jamie shared this tip while discussing one of his favourite seafood recipes – tuna and prawn linguine – explaining that it helps to enhance the sweetness and mildness of the onion’s flavour.
“Inspired by my time cooking with Nonna Rosanna, this prawn and tuna linguine is an absolute joy. I’m using her trick of washing sliced onions to make them milder, and that moisture also helps to add extra sweetness as they cook!”
The recipe, which can be found on his website and in his cookbook ‘Jamie Cooks Italy’, explains that this is achieved by finely chopping the onions, soaking them in water, and adding vinegar to balance the enhanced sweetness of the onion. Commenters on the post were eager to give Jamie’s onion washing tip a whirl, with one noting it wasn’t exactly groundbreaking: “Dude! Japanese people have been washing onions in water for 20 years,” they wrote.
Another chimed in: “My family will love that trick about washing onions!” A third added a useful insight, stating: “I peel a lot of onions, and they tear me up terribly. My solution is always to peel them in water. No more pain.”
If you’re among those battling teary troubles while chopping onions, this method could be just the trick to save your eyes and amp up your cooking game – perfect for every pasta favourite, from timeless lasagne to sumptuous mushroom and white wine linguine.