WOK IT OUT! Is Cooking Pasta in a Wok the Secret to Perfection?
If you consider a wok, what involves thoughts? Stir-fry? Egg fried rice? A wok is a vital device in so many Asian kitchens—quick, high-heat cooking at its finest. Even my good pal Uncle Roger swears by it!
However it was time for me to ask an essential (and for me, controversial) query: Can a wok be used to make weeknight dinners simpler, and perhaps even to make pasta?
Let’s see if it woks! (Sorry, I needed to.)
Watch WOK IT OUT! Is Cooking Pasta in a Wok the Secret to Perfection?
The Wok We’re Utilizing
For this experiment, I used the Mako wok from my pal Marion’s Kitchen. It’s a premium wok, and truthfully, it is perhaps the most effective I’ve ever seen. It comes pre-seasoned, so there’s no want for the entire seasoning course of which is nice as I’ve little or no expertise with this. And earlier than you ask—no, a seasoned wok gained’t add further flavour to your pasta. We’re not making stir-fried spaghetti right here.
So in an try to make use of this to make pasta, I used to be undoubtedly just a little skeptical. Woks are designed for intense warmth and fast cooking. So my predominant considerations had been: Will that prime warmth flip my carbonara sauce into scrambled eggs? Will the garlic for my aglio e olio burn in seconds? Or… may this truly be the subsequent life hack in pasta-making?
Pasta Wok Hack Check: Aglio e Olio & Carbonara
To place this concept to the take a look at, I selected two traditional Italian pasta dishes:
- Aglio e Olio – Easy, fast, and all about method. The garlic, further virgin olive oil, and pasta water create a silky sauce when mixed for this dish —so will a wok assist or smash the steadiness?
- Carbonara – That is the place issues get critical. Can a wok assist the guanciale sweat slowly and launch its stunning fats, or will the extraordinary warmth prepare dinner it too quick? And the large query—will the wok flip my eggs right into a scrambled mess?
That is undoubtedly not the normal solution to prepare dinner pasta, but it surely was time to take a danger and have some enjoyable alongside the best way. You is perhaps stunned I’m doing this, however everyone seems to be at all times telling me to aim among the cray hacks I see, so I did!
In spite of everything, meals is about experimenting, and generally the most effective discoveries occur by chance.
Let’s get cooking and discover out if the wok is a secret weapon for Italian pasta—or only a loopy concept!
Pasta Wok Hack Check #1 Aglio e Olio
First up, we examined Aglio e Olio, the only but most flavourful pasta that depends on good timing and method. And with a wok’s excessive warmth and huge floor, this might both be a catastrophe… or a revelation.
Cooking Course of:
- Warmth the Wok
Set it to medium warmth and drizzle in some further virgin olive oil (EVOO). Be sure that to unfold the oil all over the place, a wok’s curved form means you need full protection. - Garlic & Parsley
Crush the garlic and throw it in. Use as a lot as you want. Add parsley, together with the stalks (these are filled with flavour.) - Velocity Cooking
The garlic cooked ridiculously quick. So in simply 10 seconds, this meant the bottom for our sauce was prepared! This implies no distractions—no texting, no checking Instagram, and undoubtedly no stepping away to sip your wine (that comes later). - Pasta & Tossing
As soon as cooked, drain the pasta utilizing a colander, then rapidly add each the pasta and pasta water to the wok. Give it a fast stir and toss every little thing collectively. You may want two fingers for this, however belief me, it’s price it. End with just a little extra EVOO and preserve tossing till every little thing is fantastically mixed.
First Impressions
Wanting on the ultimate dish, I’ve to say, I used to be unexpectedly impressed. The big wok made tossing a lot simpler, and it mixed the components even higher than an everyday frying pan. The sauce turned out creamy, the color was wealthy and darkish, and I’ve to say, it appeared method higher than my ordinary aglio e olio.
The Style Check
The true magic? The oil virtually grew to become a cream. I’ve by no means seen this dish end up so wealthy earlier than. The wok helped the pasta take in the sauce in a method {that a} regular pan simply doesn’t, and the garlic someway disappeared into the dish—no huge chunks, simply pure flavour infused into each chew.
Pasta Wok Hack Check #2 Carbonara
Now for the true take a look at… Carbonara. A dish that requires precision, endurance, and respect for custom. One flawed transfer, and also you’ve bought scrambled eggs as an alternative of a silky sauce. So, the query was, would the wok be our pal… or our worst enemy?
Cooking Course of:
- Rendering the Guanciale
I didn’t wish to burn my stunning Guanciale, so staretd with medium-low warmth. The guanciale started to sweat properly, releasing its attractive fats. - Good Crispiness
In beneath three minutes, every bit was crispy and golden, and the fats has reworked into liquid gold. The wok’s even warmth distribution actually helped prepare dinner every bit completely. This was no joke! No burnt bits, no uneven cooking, simply pure crispy goodness.
(I gained’t go into element about how I make my Carbonara, however in order for you my full recipe, click here)
Making the Carbonara Sauce:
- Egg Combination
2 egg yolks, 1 complete egg, 3 tbsp of pecorino. Whisk it quick and add a beneficiant quantity of black pepper. - A Secret Trick
To deliver much more flavour, I take a small quantity of the new guanciale oil and blend it into the eggs. This provides an additional depth of flavour to the sauce
Bringing It All Collectively:
- Reheat the Wok
When including the pasta into the wok with the guanciale fats and a few pasta water, you reaklly have to toss like your life is dependent upon it. - Stopping Catastrophe
Maintain including small quantities of pasta water at this level, this retains the temperature down, so the eggs don’t scramble once we combine them in. - Closing Touches
Decrease the flame to very, very, very low (virtually off). Add the carbonara creamy combination, swap off the range, and blend quick. Then, sprinkle pecorino, toss once more, and add the crispy guanciale on prime. Reserve a number of items for garnish and provides it one ultimate combine.
Closing Ideas – Did the Wok Work?
I like the wok for Carbonara. Not solely is it enjoyable, however truthfully, it is perhaps the most secure method to verify nothing burns. The guanciale was evenly crispy, the sauce turned out further creamy, and pasta cooked to al dente perfection. The wok made tossing every little thing collectively easy.
And the color? Bellissimo!
First Aglio e Olio, now Carbonara—this pasta wok hack launched me to an entire new solution to prepare dinner pasta.
Closing Verdict – Ought to Woks Have Been Italian?
Truthfully, after this experiment, I feel the wok is perhaps the most effective pans for pasta recipes. This Pasta Wok Hack is unquestionably my new go-to cooking trick! It was simple, environment friendly, and simply proves that you just don’t want fancy instruments—only a good wok, and you can also make a masterpiece. Simply ensure to time your pasta and sauce appropriately, because the sauce comes collectively rapidly in a wok – and decrease your warmth too. Boil your pasta in a big pot with loads of salted water so it’s able to toss in on the good second!
Look, my aluminium and stainless-steel pans have served me nicely—nothing to complain about. However I’ll admit, they don’t prepare dinner as evenly as a wok. The wok felt like a step above my ordinary pans. The components mixed so a lot better, the garlic didn’t burn, and every little thing stayed inside due to the deep form (no rogue spaghetti flying throughout the kitchen!).
Why the Wok Wins:
- Even Cooking – No sizzling spots, no burnt bits, simply completely balanced warmth.
- Good Tossing – The deep form saved every little thing inside, making mixing easy.
- Higher Absorption – Each strand of pasta bought coated in sauce—no dry bites!
- Quick & Environment friendly – However provided that you’re absolutely prepped—as soon as the warmth is on, there’s no time to cut or measure!
If you have already got a wok, I extremely suggest making an attempt to prepare dinner with a wok. It’s not only for Asian delicacies, however I’d completely suggest it for pasta too.
What’s Subsequent?
Now, right here’s the place I want your assist! I haven’t examined the wok with tomato-based sauces like ragù or tomato onion basil sauce but. Have you ever tried it? Let me know within the feedback if you happen to get an opportunity for this experiment.
And don’t be afraid to make a multitude. Toss that pasta, get some sauce splatters on the counter, and simply have enjoyable with it. Cleansing an enormous wok is unquestionably price it for outcomes like this.
Buon appetito, and pleased wok-cooking!
One other recipe I’d like to attempt within the wok is certainly one of my veggie pasta dishes:
I additionally suppose a wok may work wonders for an additional favorite—Ravioli with Butter & Sage!
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