Cooking pasta is one of the simplest things a cook will ever have to do. Cooking it well requires very few steps, but paying attention to each is vital.
1.) For a pound of pasta use at least 4 quarts of water -- double that is even better. By allowing the pasta to move easily through the cooking water, you prevent stickiness and promote even cooking.
2.) For each gallon of water add at least 1 tablespoon of salt. I add almost 2 tablespoons. Adding salt to your pasta water not only raises the temperature at which it boils, it makes sure your pasta is flavorful. When you cook pasta at lower temperatures, as happens at higher elevations, the pasta takes longer to cook, making it more difficult to get it properly al dente.
3.) Some cookbooks advise that you make your pasta sauces a touch salty to compensate for the lack of salt in the pasta. That is just foolish. If you cook your pasta correctly it will be richly flavored.
4.) Wait until your water has come to a rolling boil before adding your pasta. Make sure you stir your pasta early on, as this will prevent your pasta from sticking.
5.) Cook your pasta for the allotted time at a healthy boil. The time on the box is rarely accurate but it may be a good guideline.
6.) If thin long pasta does not slide off a spoon when you try and fish out a strand to test, it’s probably not ready. Pasta is ready to my tastes when it is firm but not crisp. In order to have a finished pasta dish with this texture you have to slightly undercook your pasta.
7.) Do not add oil to your pasta water. All you’ll get is oil on top of your pasta water, and oil through your colander, which will be quickly washed away by boiling water.
8.) Drain your pasta in a colander and give it a few shakes. For the best results, finish cooking your pasta and sauce together for a minute or two.
9.) If you want to oil your pasta so that you can hold it for a minute or two, do so after you’ve drained your pasta.
10.) Don’t rinse your pasta unless you’re making pasta salad. Rinsing washes away dissolved starch that clings to the outside of the pasta and help sauces to stick to the pasta.
Comments
Thank you for this most valuable article on cooking pasta. For those of us raised in the New York/New Jersey area, the pasta cooking tips are a natural, but traveling away from that area leave much to be desired. The two most important things you noted were the salt and the cooking time. It amazes me how many high-end restaurants way over cook pasta with little or no salt. I wish every chef could get a copy of this article. Thank you again.
Nov 29, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Maybe a physicist can help us on this, but I've heard that to make the water boil faster, it's more effective to lower the altitude of the pot by three feet (a hot plate on the floor?) than to add a few tablespoons of salt to the water ...?
Nov 29, 2010 at 10:20 PM
stro
Thanks for sharing this article.
I once heard a celebrity chef say put salt in the water liberally so that it is "as salty as the Mediterranean Sea." I always remember that when I cook pasta.
Nov 30, 2010 at 12:16 AM
@ Liamok - Not literally true, but the sentiment is accurate. A 3 foot change in altitude (all other variables being equal) will change the boiling point of water by 0.003 deg. C. A tablespoon of salt is roughly 18 grams and it takes 58 grams of salt to raise the boiling point of one liter of water by 1 deg. C. Thus 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 gallon (roughly 4 liters) will only raise the boiling point by 0.08 deg. C. more or less. Another way to look at this is that in order to get a one degree change in the boiling point you would need to add 232 g of salt (3/4 cup) to a gallon of water.
Considering that the boiling point of water in Denver is 95 deg. C, you would need to add over 2 pounds of salt to get the boiling point back to that of water at sea level.
It is time to put an end to this (well-meaning but inaccurate) myth. The point of adding salt to pasta water is to add flavor. Speaking practically, it does nothing to change the temperature at which the pasta cooks.
Nov 30, 2010 at 10:27 AM
Dal Piaz
dpaul,
Thanks for your very detailed response.
You certainly have disproven the idea that the salt raises the boiling point but I am left wondering if something else is going on in salted water as the pasta cooks.
Perhaps their is some sort of osmotic effect much like brining. I've cooked pasta without salt before and have always been struck by the textural difference between that result and the results when salted water are used.
An investigation for another time perhaps.
Nov 30, 2010 at 10:47 AM
Gregory,
Actually, you have a point there. Without going into a detailed discussion of food science, the effects of salt on pasta (beyond the flavor it adds) has to do with the starch granules in pasta. Water causes the starch granules to swell. They swell too much and they "burst" (not really, but good enough for this discussion). When they start to cool, they start to "merge" (gelation). The addition of salt decreases the gelation of the starch which has a distinct effect on texture.
Nov 30, 2010 at 11:07 AM
The rule is not to add oil to the pasta cooking water. I almost always add it, not to prevent the pasta from sticking together, but to make sure the water doesn't boil over. Could be a gross error in cooking pasta, but it works for me.
Nov 30, 2010 at 11:24 AM
urlie
Adding oil to pasta water fills the "pores" of the pasta and then the sauce slides off. If you take out a strand of tomato sauced pasta and it isn't stained through but the sauce slides off, the pasta is most likely improperly prepared either precooked or overcooked and therefore waterlogged so sauce cannot be absorbed, shocked with water while draining and waterlogged so sauce cannot be absorbed or oiled which repells sauce. Optimally cooked pasta absorbs the sauce and is flavorfull throughout each bite.
Nov 30, 2010 at 3:20 PM
Ihe added step of finishing the pasta by adding sauce to the drained pasta and heating one or two extra minutes, not only serves the purpose of flovoring the pasta thruout, but it also acts as a "desticker"--this especially applies for angel hair and linguini pasta types.
Nov 30, 2010 at 7:18 PM
Lion
Firstly, the worst and most primitive thing to do with pasta is to " boil and strain it ".....pure logic is Not to pour all the flavour down the drain. I always cook pasta the same method as fine risotto. This of course takes much more skill and patience, but the end result is phenomenal. The flavourings and ingredients are all a creative process based on desires, seasonal availability, time and temperature, etc........and forget the " al dente "..?.... bs....if you want comfortable digestion after a great dish. Bon Apetito......
Dec 01, 2010 at 2:35 PM
Reyes
Salt the water so it tastes like the "Mediterranean" according to my nonna.
Dec 01, 2010 at 2:49 PM
ey
Re: Liamok:
Cobblers !
The difference in 3 ft altitude/ pressure is immeasurable except to a Nobel nominated physicist.
If it was, it would boil faster 3 feet higher as the air pressure is lower
[ I believe high on Everest water boils at 72 degrees Centigrade]
From an old school English scientist ;-)
Dec 01, 2010 at 6:17 PM
eman
Vintage-lion,
Please describe in detail your technique of cooking pasta.
Will it work with whole grain pasta?.
As an Italian American, actually half Italian and half Sicilian, I agree completely, forget the al dente!
Dec 01, 2010 at 9:06 PM
There is no such racial combination as half Italian and half sicilian, Sicily is part of Italy. A true conoisseur of Italian cusine eats pasta al dente, never overcooked. Otherwise the pleasure of the palate dissapears. La pasta deve sempre essere al dente! Buon Appetito!
Chef " Trattoria del Bosco, Milano, Italia"
Dec 03, 2010 at 10:43 AM
The technique I use comes from an Italian pasta book. You boil the pasta for about 2 minutes. Then you turn off the heat and put the cover on tightly and wait about 4-5 minutes for al dente pasta. You can check it and if it is not done, put the cover on and wait a minute or two.
Dec 03, 2010 at 1:00 PM
eman
ponzi,
Bologna
Dec 03, 2010 at 2:39 PM
Lion
Danthejuiceman, Hope I spelled that right.
As mentioned before the ingredients will depend on the dish you create which can be a wide range of choices based on available seafood, meat, vegetables etc.
For example, lets say you are in the mood for a seafood pasta dish. First priority would be to have fresh fish stock and good white wine to cook the pasta in. Quantity and timing will depend on the type of pasta as in angel hair or linguine or any of your choice. Linguine would be nice as it will give you a tolerant time frame to add in all your seafood while gently simmering to perfection. Start with a little olive oil and very finely chopped shallots, sweat and add the white wine and stock. Bring to a boil and add pasta. A little sea salt would be good at this stage. Remember, we are Not Going To Drain the Pasta, so keep the amount of liquid just above the pasta at all times, which will also allow you to create a sauce in the end. When the pasta is approximately halfway done, begin to Add the Seafood to the pot, based on " TIMING " as to what cooks fastest, goes in last. You can also add some fresh asparagus tips etc just before sea scallops to give you an idea. Adjust seasonings to your personal taste. Some Butter or fresh cream to add a rich finish, topped with finely chopped fresh chives or a sprinkle of paprika would make an appetizing presentation. Use Your Imagination
Unlike baking a cake, the quantities will depend on what you are planning, a solo meal, intimate dinner for two, or an Italian block party. Be brave and go for it. And Oh...dont forget to cook the pasta " To Perfection " , no overcooking, or al-dente bs....... Enjoy.........
Dec 11, 2010 at 1:59 PM
Thanks.
Would it be too much to ask writers to include metric measurements too and Celcius too?
Dec 15, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Though I cook my pasta in a small pot (my large pasta pot was misplaced during a move) it never sticks. (I must be doing something wrong!)
I agree that many American-Italian restaurants not only overcook pasta but drown it in sauce (no matter the instructions when ordering).
Though, I disagree with Vintage-Lion with respect to pasta being al dente or not, I am fascinated by his approach to cooking pasta much as one would cook risotto.
I'm going to give it a try!
Mar 05, 2011 at 7:43 PM
Great commentary in this thread. Nice article!
Dec 07, 2011 at 9:35 PM
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