Have the sauce ready first
Bring water to the boil while preparing the sauce. A finished sauce can usually wait briefly; drained pasta tends to stick together. Keep delicate sauces only gently warm.
Use a pot with enough room for the pasta to move. Salt the water to taste and stir, especially at the beginning. Oil in the cooking water is unnecessary for this method.
Taste before the packet time ends
The time on the packet is a starting point. Try a piece shortly beforehand. The centre can have a noticeable bite but should not feel unpleasantly hard and raw. Shape, brand and preference affect the right timing.
If you will finish the pasta in its sauce, take it out a little earlier. Thin spaghetti and thick tubes respond at different speeds.
Use pasta water gradually
Reserve some cooking water before draining. Transfer the pasta to the sauce and add small amounts of water while stirring or tossing. This loosens an overly thick sauce and helps distribute it.
Different dishes need different quantities. Add a small splash several times instead of diluting the sauce all at once. Serve promptly because pasta continues absorbing liquid on the plate.