CULINARY INFO
Pasta : Cooking
"DISCLAIMER"
The information contained here is supplied for your interest only and further research may be required.
I have gathered it from many sources over many years. While I attempt to insure they are crossed referenced for accuracy,
I take no responsibility for mistakes - additions or corrections are welcomed.
Pasta
Popular myths and mistakes?
The most common mistakes when cooking pasta are:
*adding oil to the water
*adding salt to the water
*and then ‘refreshing’ it under running water
All are totally unnecessary and can actually spoil the pasta. To cook any pasta properly use the following tips:
The Right Way
*Firstly, never add oil to the cooking water, it is a waste of good oil, adds extra oil to the diet and does not prevent it from sticking anyway
*Do not add salt to the water: some chefs say it actually cause fresh pasta to toughen. Even if it doesn't, you are only adding salt to your diet and there will no doubt be plenty of that in your sauce anyway
*Use a large a pot as possible with plenty of boiling water; this water should be rapidly boiling. Ever noticed the Italians always do this when you see them on TV, in movies etc? With this large amount of water, it means once the pasta is added, the water will return to the boil very quickly, as the temperature drop will be minimal.
*Add the pasta (small quantities), how much will eventually come from experience, but a guideline is that the water should come back to a rapid boil within one minute
*On adding the pasta , gently stir the pasta until the water comes back to that rapid boil; it is this that will prevent the pasta from sticking together
*To test if the pasta is cooked, remove a piece and gently squeeze it, when the pasta is cooked it will break easily. The actual cooking time will depend on the pasta's thickness, whther it is fresh or dried; so test after 3 minutes and every minute there after
*Remove from the water and allow to drain in a colander or similar and toss in the sauce immediately.
*The bad habit of ‘refreshing’ the pasta under running water washes away the starch (that sticky feeling) that extrudes from the pasta as it cooks. It is this starch that helps the sauce cling to the pasta and stops it from sinking and running all over your plate.
Ever wondered why you see this glorious pile of spaghetti all wonderfully coated in the sauce, yet yours always ends up swimming in it? Now you know! ;-)
As fresh pasta only takes 4 - 8 minutes to cook there is no reason to ever need to cook it ahead of time, so need to refresh and reheat it. And if more pasta is immediately required to be cooked, either remove the pasta with tongs or similar, or place a colander/strainer over another pot, pour, and re-use the water
With these simple rules followed never again should you have problem with pasta cooking…buon appetito!
