Culinaria Kitchen, S1E2: Pasta Like a Pro

Now airing monthly on SA Living, the newly launched Culinaria Kitchen is your invitation into the world of chef-inspired cooking. Each episode highlights professional techniques, thoughtful tips, and culinary insights designed to help viewers savor the craft of cooking from the comfort of home.

Culinaria CEO Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge adds butter to a hot pan on SA Living.

The newest episode of San Antonio Living's Culinaria Kitchen came at the perfect time for anyone looking to carb-load with purpose ahead of our annual HalloWine Run! Chef Giuseppe DeStefano from Piatti at the Quarry joined host Shelly Miles and Culinaria CEO Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge to celebrate all things pasta. 

From choosing the right dry noodles to building a sauce that sings, this episode was a love letter to comfort food, just in time to fuel up before hitting the trail (or the wine).

Chef DeStefano kicked things off by exploring the difference between good dry pasta and lesser options. With two samples in hand, he pointed out how color, texture and the drying process can affect both sauce absorption and mouth-feel. 

“A high-quality bronze-cut pasta will have a rougher texture and deeper color, allowing sauces to cling better,” he said. “Not all pasta is created equal. Look for imported dry pasta labeled slow-dried or bronze-cut, or just come see me for fresh artisan pasta!”

Next, the team moved to a foundational step often overlooked: salting the pasta water. Chef DeStefano’s mantra? Salt like a soup, not like the Mediterranean. Another overlooked step? Adding starch-laden pasta water to your final dish.

“Definitely don’t forget a ladle of that salted pasta water to your sauce. The starch helps your sauce and pasta come together beautifully,” Chef said. 

The starch in the water acts as a binder, emulsifies the sauce, and helps it coat the pasta evenly instead of leaving it clumpy or oily. This method also allows you to adjust the sauce's consistency and enhances flavor: using the salted, starchy water acts as a multi-faceted finisher to your sauce.

Concluding the educational segment, Chef Giuseppe moved the rigatoni arrabiata to the plate and emphasized the difference between true Parmigiano-Reggiano and generic shredded substitutes. According to the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, true Parmigiano-Reggiano is strictly regulated, and is produced exclusively in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Mantua and Bologna in Italy.

Culinaria CEO Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge, Piatti Chef Giuseppe DeStefano and host Shelly Miles on SA Living.

“There’s Parmigiano-Reggiano—and then there’s ‘Parm,’” Chef said. The former is a hard cheese with a complex, nutty flavor, while generic "shredded parmesan" is an imitation product with different ingredients, a milder taste, and a softer texture.

“Parmigiano Reggiano, aged [for] 24 months is my favorite,” Chef told us. 

With Chef Giuseppe’s pasta tips fresh in mind, we couldn’t have asked for a better way to fuel up before the HalloWine Run. This weekend’s race was a spirited success — full of laughter, costumes, and plenty of well-earned sips at the finish line. It turns out all that carb-loading really paid off!

As the Culinaria Kitchen series continues, we’ll keep bringing you chef-driven inspiration to enjoy long after the medals and wine glasses are put away. Stay tuned for next month’s episode on SA Living — and in the meantime, keep cooking, twirling, and toasting to the flavors that make San Antonio shine.