“Al dente” in Italian means “to the tooth”, but colloquially means “perfect in the mouth.” In Italy this phrase moves beyond the point of identifying the perfect state of cooked pasta, to being an actual state of being for the pasta. Every pasta I tried in Italy was so absolutely perfect that it left me with a feeling of pure satisfaction, eyes closed, taste buds firing on all cylinders and that inexplicable yet immediately identifiable texture as you bite down. As my sister said, “It’s in their blood, it’s an internal clock, and if you don’t know how to cook pasta, you aren’t Italian.”
The remarkable pastas shown are from Canova Tadolini Restaurant and Gallery, a must visit if you are in Rome.