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Pasta Tips
For anyone who loves pasta, these tips will help you to savor the taste even more!
What does al dente mean?
Most of us have heard that it means “firm to the tooth.” This statement is rather broad. Basically, you want pasta to feel firm, and slightly resistant (springy) when you taste it. If it sticks to your tooth, it’s not done. Don’t try to throw it against the wall or the refrigerator to see if it sticks, thinking you’ve proven that it’s done. Actually, this does not mean that it is done. It tells you nothing of the state of your noodles.
A good way to measure pasta is by biting a piece open, and looking at the inside. If there is a dry white core in the center, it is not done. Go by what you think is good. Just having it in your mouth and tasting it is a very easy way of deciding whether or not it is done. Watch out for overcooking- scotta, in Italian-which really ruins the pasta, making it like a paste.
The directions on the package can be, at times, misleading or inaccurate. Use the package instructions as a guide, keeping in mind that there is no substitution for taste testing. Remember if you are adding hot sauce or finishing a dish in the oven, the pasta will continue to cook after you remove it from the boiling water.
To oil or not to oil?
Adding oil to the water does two things: it brings down the foam, and it will keep some pasta from splitting. It does not keep it from sticking. Stirring often and boiling in a lot of water are the keys to separating the strands of noodles.
How much should you make?
Everyone has a different concept of portion sizes. A good rule of thumb is that you can get six small servings, four medium servings, or two to three huge servings from one pound of dry pasta; so base your estimate on the size of the appetites. Another thing to consider is whether the sauce is going to add a lot of volume to the pasta.
What are the keys to cooking pasta well?
1. Plenty of water. For one pound of pasta, you need at least four quarts of water. Before adding the pasta, bring the water to a boil, and maintain the boil throughout cooking.
2. When should you add the salt? Add salt as you add the pasta. If you salt the water beforehand, it will produce a bitter odor and flavor.
3. Work quickly. As soon as you put in all the pasta, give the water a good stir. Once you’ve tested the noodles to be done, have the colander ready. Drain all the pasta at once. Do not let the pasta sit in the water, whether the stove is on or off. Also, don’t let the noodles sit in the colander for too long either, the moisture will dry up and the noodles will stick and clump together.
4. Don’t rinse the pasta after cooking it. There may be one exception of this though, that is, Asian noodles (Soba). Usually, however, rinsing is detrimental and unnecessary.
5. Immediately put the sauce on, but lightly. If you are adding cheese, or butter, or oil, add these ingredients before anything else so that you can be sure to toss it around to cover every strand. This will give the cheese a very creamy texture. Then you can add the sauce and toss it again. Start with much less sauce than you might expect, do not over sauce it! Only use enough to cover all the noodles; for every pound of pasta, use 12 ounces of sauce. You will be surprised at how well the pasta turns out, flavor and texture.
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