There’s nothing we love more than a big bowl of pasta – and the king of comfort food Jamie Oliver is often the man we turn to for recipe inspiration. The father-of-five – who raises children Poppy Honey, 21, Daisy Boo, 20, Petal Blossom, 14, Buddy Bear, 13, and River Rocket, six, with wife Jools Oliver – is known for his love of hearty carbs and rich, tomato based dishes. 

On this National Pasta Day, we’re bringing you inspiration from one of the Jamie’s Five Ingredient Meals star’s most unusual cooking tips that will help you create a crowd-pleasing pasta sauce. 

Jamie previously took to his Instagram page to post his recipe for prawn and tuna linguine (who’d have thought of combining those two ingredients?) and gave us a top tip for the pasta sauce.

He wrote: “Inspired by my time cooking with Nonna Rosanna, this prawn & tuna linguine is an absolute joy.”  He continued: “I’m using her trick of washing sliced onions to make them milder, and that moisture also helps to add extra sweetness as they cook!”

Well, we did not know this. Washing an onion? We had never even considered it, but it’s definitely our next cooking must-try. 

Rinsing an onion under cool running water before cooking will take away a lot of the sharpness and add an extra crispiness to the dish. Just blot them with kitchen paper afterwards to remove any excess moisture.

Jamie’s followers were also on board with the pasta trick, with one posting: “This recipe is an absolute joy! We did it a few times. Thank you. This trick is one of the best.” Another wrote: “One of my all-time favourites. Made this dish so many times. Thank you Jamie.”

The celebrity chef shared the complete recipe on his website, so take a look if you fancy replicating his seafood dish. However, his onion tip could be applied to any meal where you’re looking for mild, sweet onions.

You might think cooking pasta is as easy as it gets, but Jamie also has some top tips for achieving the perfect al dente noodle on his website.

• Always salt your pasta water – it can really boost the flavours of your sauce 
• 75g of dried pasta per person is the optimal amount – be mindful of waste 
• Use a large pan, giving your pasta room to cook and avoiding it sticking 
• Cover your pan with a lid to bring it to the boil quicker, then remove the lid once it’s up to temperature (we’re guilty of never doing this)
• Only add your pasta to boiling water, never before

• © Photo: Instagram

Jamie isn’t the only chef in the family since his teenage son Buddy is following in his father’s footsteps. The doting dad previously confessed he’d want Buddy to learn the tricks of the trade properly, rather than relying on his Oliver name. 

Referring to how he trained his young staff at his fifteen restaurants, teaching them both the practical aspects of cooking as well as having them meet food growers, he told MailOnline: “We put these kids in front of amazing farmers and artisans, fishermen and producers, that’s what changes you and I’d definitely do that with Buddy, if he wanted to go down that route. He would earn his trade for sure.”

Buddy, who boasts his own YouTube channel and Instagram platform called Cooking Buddies, has shown an interest in all thing culinary from a young age, and has worked hard to hone his talents in the kitchen.

RELATED: Jamie Oliver and wife Jools’ major home change after renewing their vows 

“When he was ten, and you can find this online, he filleted a mackerel,” Jamie proudly said. “It’s not because he’s a special kid, it’s because kids are brilliant and when they repeat things a few times, they get good at it – whether it’s cricket, boxing or gymnastics, and he happened to have a mackerel in his hand, which is a cheap fish that’s bloody good for you, and he cooked it for his brother River, crispy skins 90 per cent of the way, and you can’t produce that content.”