Adding olive oil to the cooking water is inconvenient,
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Pasta is perfect for cooking something delicious and in no time. It has a very simple preparation, it is fast and versatile. It could be said that to cook it you basically only need to boil water. But following these basic steps will help you get the perfect paste.
1. Use a large pot and enough water
A large pot and enough water will allow your pasta to cook better and have enough room to expand. Enough water helps balance the heat once the pasta is added, allowing it to come back to a quick boil. Use 4 to 6 liters of water for every pound of pasta.
2. Salt the cooking water
Do not forget to add salt to the cooking water when it is boiling, before adding the pasta. This step is especially important, unless you want a tasteless pasta. Do not go too much, the pasta should have a pleasantly salty taste, test during the cooking process to see if it is ready, if it requires more salt, add a little more.
The amounts of salt vary by type. Testing you will find your ideal measure. The Kitchn suggests a tablespoon per 4 liters of water and 1 pound of pasta.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water
Adding the pasta before the water boils will cause the pasta to take longer to cook and become mushy.
4. Don’t break the noodles
Breaking the dough is a cardinal sin. Place one end of the pasta in the boiling water and while they soften, gently dip the noodles.
5. Don’t add olive oil to the water
Some people believe that adding olive oil to the water will prevent the paste from sticking. But this is inconvenient, adding olive oil to the cooking water will cause the sauce to not hug the pasta as it should and slide off the noodles.
6. Stir
To prevent the pasta from sticking, stir it well as soon as you add it to the water and again from time to time during the cooking process.
7. Cooking al Dente
An al dente pasta has a texture that is not soft or rubbery, it should be tender but firm when biting. The number of minutes required to cook depends on the type of pasta and brands. Smaller, thinner pastes take less time than large, dense forms.
A few minutes before the cooking process recommended on the box, taste the pasta to see if it is ready or is very little left. The time may be less than indicated and consider that you can continue cooking with the sauce.
8. Save some cooking water
As the pasta cooks, it releases starch. Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of cooking water, it is a perfect thickener for the sauce. It also helps the sauce and pasta stick together.
Use a few tablespoons of starchy water in your sauce and stir vigorously until it becomes shiny and slightly thick.
9. Drain and don’t let it settle
After draining the pasta, don’t let the pasta settle and dry. As the pasta cools, the starches will harden and stick. Instead of draining with a strainer, you can also use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta from the water to the sauce.
10. Pasta in sauce at the best time
Have the sauce ready before cooking your pasta. Keep the sauce hot in a large, wide saucepan to add the pasta to it immediately after draining.. Cooking them together for a minute or two makes sure that the pasta absorbs the flavor better.
So now you know, do not forget to season, stir, do not add oil, reserve water for the sauce, cook al dente and pour it over your sauce immediately.
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