Pasta cooking method could halve energy use, Italian physicist suggests

In 2022, Italy faced a significant concern: how to reduce the cost of cooking pasta, a staple food, amidst soaring energy prices exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The traditional method involves boiling pasta in a large volume of water to prevent sticking.

“

Who would have thought that pasta would end up under the microscope? Raw, cooked, tangled, knotted, or broken, they fascinate physicists as much as gourmets.

Nobel laureate Giorgio Parisi, known for his work on disorder and complexity, shared a potentially energy-saving cooking method on Facebook. Proposed by Alessandro Busiri Vici, the technique suggests boiling water, adding pasta, covering the pot, and then turning off the heat. This method could cut energy consumption by half, though it extends the cooking time by a few minutes.

“

How to reduce the bill in a period when energy prices have soared after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia?

Parisi himself offered a slight variation, recommending keeping the heat on but at the minimum setting to maintain a gentle boil. This scientific foray into the kitchen highlights how even everyday activities can be re-examined through the lens of physics and resource conservation.

“

Plunge the pasta into boiling water, then cover the pot and turn off the heat.