The $3 spaghetti trick I messed up for 5 whole years
So I have this go-to budget meal where I boil spaghetti and toss it with a can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. Last Tuesday I was making it for my neighbor who helped me move a fridge, and she asked why I wasn't salting the pasta water. I told her I didn't want to waste salt since the canned tomatoes already had some. She just stared at me and said, "That's why it tastes flat every time." I never even thought about it. I've been eating bland pasta for like 5 years because I was trying to save maybe 10 cents a batch. That one pinch of salt literally changes the whole dish, and now I even add a little sugar to cut the tomato acidity. Has anyone else had a cooking habit that was totally backwards for way too long? What finally tipped you off? My neighbor also told me to save the pasta water for the sauce, which blew my mind again.