Forget the directions on your box of pasta and use these tips to cook any kind of pasta perfectly every time.
Making perfect pasta is not rocket science. In fact, many people have a hard time making pasta “perfectly” because they often learn various myths and misconceptions that guide them into doing the wrong things.
For example, many people think that adding oil to the pasta water will separate the pasta better. Little do they know that it actually does the opposite; the pasta will tend to stick together and make it more difficult for you to cook the pasta perfectly.
So, if you want to make perfect pasta, keep reading.
First, you will need to forget the directions on the back of the box. These directions do not necessarily leave you with perfect pasta. Instead, you are supposed to figure out what to do before the pasta is done in “eight minutes or less.”
Allow a big pot of a lot of water to come to a rolling boil. First, using a big pot will make it easier for you to cook the pasta. The cooking time will be lessened, and the cooking process on a whole will be easier. Also, using a lot of water will also make the pasta easier to handle. They will stick together less, leaving you with pasta that is evenly separated and cooked thoroughly. A rolling boil is better than a gentle simmer at the very beginning of the cooking process because you want to literally shock the pasta.
Then, take a nice handful of salt. It doesn’t matter what kind of salt you use; what does matter is that you use a lot of it. Now, you haven’t read any mention of adding any type of oil. That is because the oil is unnecessary to the cooking process.
You only need a lot of salt. You will preferably use at least a quarter cup of salt if you are using a very big pot. The salt does only one thing: it flavors the water, which will in turn make the pasta more flavored. Many people also “learn” that adding salt makes water boil faster. This, however, has been proven to be a false statement. If you are using an electric stovetop, then chances are your water will boil faster than someone’s water that is boiling on a gas range.
Once your water is boiling, you can then add the noodles. One of the most important parts of cooking pasta is to never cover the pot. When you cover the pot, you run the risk of letting the water overflow because of all the pressure and steam that builds up. And, you also run the risk of making pasta that sticks together. By leaving the lid off of the pot, you are better able to control the temperature and keep the water from boiling too much.
Always taste the pasta to see if it is cooked. Do not cook it by looks alone. When the center of the noodle is no longer white, then your pasta is done and ready for use.
