| I'm amazed at how often I get e-mail from a | | | | for pasta sticking together is that the water had |
| disgruntled home cook, lamenting the fact that, | | | | not yet come to a full boil. When you add pasta |
| once again, a dish of pasta has turned into a | | | | to water that has not yet reached the boiling |
| culinary disaster. I hear stories of overcooked, | | | | point, it releases natural starches, which act like |
| undercooked, tasteless pasta that may also be | | | | glue. Since the pasta is simply sitting in the water |
| stuck together, or otherwise inedible. In fact, I | | | | at the time, the strands stick together.6. Bring the |
| recently had the experience where I was | | | | water back to the boil as quickly as possible after |
| shopping with a friend and I suggested that she | | | | adding the pasta. In the case of pasta strands, |
| buy some pasta. Her response was that it was | | | | like spaghetti or linguine, stir the pasta until it has |
| too unpredictable to cook.It needn't be that way. | | | | wilted and become submerged in the cooking |
| First of all, 90% of cooking is being there. That is, | | | | water, then cover the pot until the water returns |
| letting the telephone ring through to voice-mail; | | | | to the boil. When the water has boiled, though, |
| perhaps leaving guests in the living room sipping | | | | uncover the pot, and finish cooking uncovered.7. |
| their Chardonnay and simply keeping your focus | | | | Stir the pasta two or three times throughout the |
| on the task at hand. And by being there-that is, | | | | cooking process. Pasta cooks in eight to ten |
| tending the pasta-you'll be able to do the only test | | | | minutes. The brief time you spend attending to it |
| available to judge its doneness: to taste.Those | | | | away from family or guests will reap huge |
| two tips alone will improve your pasta-cooking | | | | rewards at the dinner table.8. Never add olive oil |
| skills, but I offer here, ten little steps that, taken | | | | to the pasta cooking water. The olive oil coats |
| together, will guarantee a perfect dish of pasta | | | | the pasta, and prevents sauce from adhering to it |
| every time. Follow these steps, and you'll prepare | | | | when you've put the entire dish together.9. Cook |
| pasta that will consistently impress your family, | | | | the pasta to the 'al dente' state. The only way to |
| your friends, and your harshest critic; you.1. All | | | | judge this is by tasting. Manufacturer's cooking |
| pasta is not created equal. Choose a brand with a | | | | times are mere guidelines. Begin tasting the pasta |
| solid reputation in the marketplace. De Cecco and | | | | about two minutes before the manufacturer says |
| Barilla are two fine brands readily available in | | | | it should be done. Also, there will be a small |
| supermarkets.2. Use a pot that's large enough to | | | | amount of carryover cooking between the time |
| accommodate the pasta without crowding. For | | | | you remove the pasta from the stove, drain in |
| one pound of pasta, an eight-quart pot is good; a | | | | the sink, and combine with the sauce.10. Never |
| ten-quart pot is better. Pasta needs room to | | | | rinse pasta. When you rinse pasta, you're washing |
| move freely as it cooks. At a minimum, use | | | | away most of the starches and nutrients that |
| nothing smaller than a six-quart pot.3. Use plenty | | | | you were seeking to enjoy in the first place.So be |
| of water. For one pound of pasta, you should use | | | | there. Be attentive. Taste, and learn when pasta |
| at least six quarts of water.4. Add salt to the | | | | has cooked to the consistency that you like. |
| water. About 1 Tbs. per gallon. Salt adds flavor to | | | | Follow these ten little steps, and you'll develop a |
| the pasta that helps to create a well-seasoned | | | | reputation as a miracle worker with pasta. And |
| dish. Often, a perfectly seasoned sauce will still | | | | with the myriad of sauces in the Italian and |
| taste like it needs "something" because the pasta | | | | Italian-American cuisines, you will have expanded |
| is unseasoned.5. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil | | | | your cooking repertoire beyond your wildest |
| before adding the pasta. One of the prime causes | | | | dreams. |