Instructions
Boil
Boil pasta, in large pot, with water and salt, at 100C, 10min
Why this matters
What: Cook food fully submerged in water at 100°C with vigorous bubbling.
Why: Boiling provides rapid, even heat transfer for starchy foods like pasta and legumes. Salted water seasons from the inside and raises the boiling point slightly.
- Not enough water — starchy foods stick together
- Forgetting to salt the water — bland results no sauce can fix
- Boiling too long — mushy, overcooked texture
Drain
Drain large pot
Cut
MinceCut into very fine pieces the garlic (2mm)
Infuse
Infuse garlic, in wide skillet, with olive oil, at 100C, 2min
Why this matters
What: Gently warm aromatics in oil or liquid so their flavour compounds dissolve into the cooking medium.
Why: Low heat extracts volatile oils from garlic, herbs, and spices without burning them. The flavoured oil then coats every strand of pasta or piece of food it touches.
- Heat too high — garlic browns and turns bitter instead of sweet and mellow
- Too short — not enough time for flavour to transfer
- Too long — aromatics disintegrate and release harsh compounds
Toss
Toss pasta, basil, and parmesan, in wide skillet, with salt
Why this matters
What: Gently combine by lifting and turning so dressing or seasoning coats every piece.
Why: Tossing distributes flavour without crushing delicate ingredients like herbs or ripe tomatoes.
- Stirring instead of tossing — crushes soft ingredients
- Adding dressing too early — things go soggy
- Over-tossing — bruises leaves and releases excess water
Rest
Let restLet meat sit after cooking so juices redistribute for 1 min
Why It Works
- Basil is the soul of this dish — use fresh Genovese basil if possible, never dried
- Pound or blend the pesto just before serving; it oxidises quickly and loses its vivid green colour
- Reserve starchy pasta water to loosen the pesto and help it coat the pasta evenly
- Traditional pesto includes pine nuts; add them if you have them, though the CKL database focuses on the core ingredients
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Watch temperatures carefully
- Don't skip the resting step
Technical Details (CKL)
servings 4
ingredient "pasta" 400g
ingredient "water" 4l
ingredient "salt" 15g
ingredient "basil" 40g
ingredient "garlic" 10g
ingredient "parmesan" 60g
ingredient "olive oil" 80ml
pot "large pot" 6l
pan "wide skillet" 30cm
knife "chef's knife"
# Boil the pasta in well-salted water
boil "pasta" in pot with "water" "salt" at 100C for 10min
drain pot
cut "garlic" style mince size 2mm
# Gently warm garlic in olive oil — do not brown
infuse "garlic" in pan with "olive oil" at 100C for 2min
# Toss pasta with pesto off-heat
toss "pasta" "basil" "parmesan" in pan with "salt"
rest 1minThis recipe is defined using CKL (Culinary Knowledge Language), a precise language for describing cooking procedures.