In a YouGov poll published in 2022, Italians were asked which non-traditional cooking behaviours they found “acceptable,” “divisive,” and “unacceptable.” Don’t boil from cold waterMost Italians agreed that it was a cardinal sin to place pasta in cold water before boiling it. Speaking to TODAY, pasta expert and food stylist Anthony Contrino said: ”“By adding pasta to boiling water, it cooks more evenly since the temperature is a constant. “When you add [pasta] to cold water, first of all, the salt isn’t going to dissolve quick enough to flavour the pasta and, depending on the pasta, you risk not being able to achieve al dente.” “This man’s girlfriend is right on both counts,” the culinary legend replied, pointing to his 2015 blog post, which said: “Start cooking pasta in cold water for quicker cook times and extra-starchy pasta water that’s perfect for finishing sauces.”