Physics Nobel Laureate Giorgio Parisi has developed a new technique that is said to save a lot of energy when cooking pasta. In his home country of Italy, the idea was not particularly well received.

There is a simple trick you can use to save electricity or gas when cooking pasta. To do this, first boil water in a pot as usual, salt it and add the noodles. After two minutes, turn off the gas or electricity and cover the pot with a lid. The noodles should now be done in the still hot water. The time it takes for the noodles to soften increases by a few minutes.

The idea came from scientist and physics Nobel Prize winner Giorgio Parisi. As The Conversation reports, when you cook pasta, about 60 percent of the energy goes into maintaining the water’s temperature once it’s brought to a boil. Therefore, if this time is shortened, the energy consumption is also significantly reduced.

In Parisi’s home country of Italy, however, the proposal is not well received. Antonello Colonna, whose restaurant has a Michelin star, claims the technique makes the pasta gummy. He had this experience himself when he was young. The idea was then discussed controversially in Italian media.