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