Culinary Notes
Sauce Pairing: The rule of form follows function applies here. Use fusilli with medium-to-thick sauces (like Bolognese, pesto, or tomato cream) that can cling to the twists. It is wasted on a light olive oil tossing.
The Water Rule: Pasta needs room to dance. Boil it in a large volume of water (1 litre per 100g) that is "salty like the Mediterranean sea." If the water isn't salted, the pasta will be bland, no matter how good the sauce is.
Al Dente: Fusilli has a thick core where the spirals meet. Test it frequently; you want it to offer a slight resistance to the tooth. If you boil it until soft, the spirals will unravel and break apart when tossed.
The Finish: Never drain pasta bone-dry. Transfer the fusilli directly from the water into your pan of sauce, adding a splash of the starchy cooking water to help emulsify the sauce so it clings to the coils.
