http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/ Creative Homemaking Ideas & Household Tips Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:38:05 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/#comment-52502 Ron C Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:45:48 +0000 http://tipnut.com/?p=1580#comment-52502 There is debate over adding oil. While it keeps the pasta from sticking together, it causes the sauce you add later not to stick as well. I generally add oil. Lots of water is really important. I was using a 4 quart pot for pasta for 3 people. Then I found a previously hidden 6 quart pot. Life is much better as so is the pasta. Mangia! There is debate over adding oil. While it keeps the pasta from sticking together, it causes the sauce you add later not to stick as well. I generally add oil. Lots of water is really important. I was using a 4 quart pot for pasta for 3 people. Then I found a previously hidden 6 quart pot. Life is much better as so is the pasta. Mangia!

]]> http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/#comment-51692 HeartSongs » Surfer Sunday 92 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 10:40:41 +0000 http://tipnut.com/?p=1580#comment-51692 [...] 5 tips for cooking perfect pasta [...] [...] 5 tips for cooking perfect pasta [...]

]]> http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/#comment-51643 Karen Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:18:09 +0000 http://tipnut.com/?p=1580#comment-51643 My Mom was from Italy and the entire family, including an aunt with a resturant, always left a wooden spoon in the pan with the boiling pasta. They said it kept it from sticking together. I leave the wooden spoon in and never have sticky pasta. Another tip, after draining well, even if you will use a sauce, add butter or good olive oil that has some garlic and chopped basil and oregano. Gives the pasta a pretty look, doesn't stick and tastes yummy! My Mom was from Italy and the entire family, including an aunt with a resturant, always left a wooden spoon in the pan with the boiling pasta. They said it kept it from sticking together. I leave the wooden spoon in and never have sticky pasta.
Another tip, after draining well, even if you will use a sauce, add butter or good olive oil that has some garlic and chopped basil and oregano. Gives the pasta a pretty look, doesn’t stick and tastes yummy!

]]> http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/#comment-51631 Christense Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:41:14 +0000 http://tipnut.com/?p=1580#comment-51631 Also important to remember is that pasta (like eggs, cookies, and many other foods) keeps cooking with it's own residual heat even after it's out of the water. You need to pull it out when it's al dente or it will cook itself into mush. In an emergency you can rinse the pasta in cool water to stop the cooking. But this will wash of the salt and oil (if you use it) and it also washes off the starch. Cooked and drained pasta is coated with a thin laywer of starch which is produced when it cooks. This starch helps sauce stick to the noodles, and I find it really makes a difference! Also important to remember is that pasta (like eggs, cookies, and many other foods) keeps cooking with it’s own residual heat even after it’s out of the water. You need to pull it out when it’s al dente or it will cook itself into mush. In an emergency you can rinse the pasta in cool water to stop the cooking. But this will wash of the salt and oil (if you use it) and it also washes off the starch. Cooked and drained pasta is coated with a thin laywer of starch which is produced when it cooks. This starch helps sauce stick to the noodles, and I find it really makes a difference!

]]> http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/#comment-51606 Lauren Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:10:36 +0000 http://tipnut.com/?p=1580#comment-51606 The oil is to keep the pasta from sticking together. The oil is to keep the pasta from sticking together.

]]> http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/#comment-51605 Marie Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:08:12 +0000 http://tipnut.com/?p=1580#comment-51605 You can also tell if its cooked by looking at the center of it after taking a bite. If there is any white left in the center, then it needs a more time. You can also tell if its cooked by looking at the center of it after taking a bite. If there is any white left in the center, then it needs a more time.

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