How to cook pasta properly
Here is some advice for pasta that's properly cooked and doesn't stick.
1.1M 2,788 3.7
Last modified on: July 18th 2019
Keywords for this recipe:For 300 g, you will need:
- 1
2 litres water - 2
300 g pasta - 3
1 tablespoon coarse salt - Total weight: 2,315 grams
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
| Preparation | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|
| 15 min. | 7 min. | 22 min. |
At what time:
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at ... ?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at ... ? - Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Boil a large pan of water.
When boiling, salt with a tablespoon of coarse salt for 2 litres water.
A large quantity of water is needed to prevent pasta from sticking on the bottom of the pan.
If you like precise numbers, here is the 1-10-100 rule: 1 litre water, to 10 g salt, to 100 g pasta.
When boiling, salt with a tablespoon of coarse salt for 2 litres water.
A large quantity of water is needed to prevent pasta from sticking on the bottom of the pan.
If you like precise numbers, here is the 1-10-100 rule: 1 litre water, to 10 g salt, to 100 g pasta.
Stage 2 - 1 min.
When water comes back to the boil, add pasta all at once.
Stage 3
For cooking time, very important, here is a tip: If you use a pasta box or bag where you can read in Italian, cook the exact indicated time (here 6 minutes).
Stage 4
Otherwise, decrease 1 minute from the indicated cooking time (here 12 - 1 = 11 minutes).
So you will be sure to have perfectly cooked pasta, call by the Italians, who are the world masters of pasta since Marco Polo, "al dente"
So you will be sure to have perfectly cooked pasta, call by the Italians, who are the world masters of pasta since Marco Polo, "al dente"
Stage 5 - 7 min.
Stir and leave to cook uncovered for the time indicated on the pasta packet (usually 8-9 minutes, but it depend on type of pasta).
The best way is to taste near end of cooking. It's very important not to overcook pasta, otherwise it becomes too soft and unpleasant.
Italians, pasta masters since Marco Polo, call this ideal texture "al dente".
During cooking, stir once or twice to prevent pasta sticking.
The best way is to taste near end of cooking. It's very important not to overcook pasta, otherwise it becomes too soft and unpleasant.
Italians, pasta masters since Marco Polo, call this ideal texture "al dente".
During cooking, stir once or twice to prevent pasta sticking.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
After this time, taste, and if it's OK, remove pasta from water immediately and transfer to a strainer to drain, or pour the whole panful into a colander or strainer.
Chefs will tell you that it's better to remove pasta from water, instead of pouring everything into a strainer, because this keeps the gluten (released during cooking) in the water instead of on the pasta, and it's this gluten that makes it sticky.
Chefs will tell you that it's better to remove pasta from water, instead of pouring everything into a strainer, because this keeps the gluten (released during cooking) in the water instead of on the pasta, and it's this gluten that makes it sticky.
Stage 7 - 1 min.
When pasta is drained, discard cooking water and put pasta back into the pan.
Stage 8 - 1 min.
If you plan to use pasta right away, it's ready.
If not, add a tablespoon of olive oil, mix well, cover and leave to stand, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Note: because it's kept hot and covered, pasta will continue cooking, so you should not keep it too long.
If not, add a tablespoon of olive oil, mix well, cover and leave to stand, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Note: because it's kept hot and covered, pasta will continue cooking, so you should not keep it too long.
Remarks
It's quite surprising to see how many ways of preparing and serving pasta there are, and at the same time how great a simple pasta dish can be: a pan of spaghetti, a dash of olive oil, some grated Parmesan, what more do we need? hummm, oh yes, a good glass of Italian wine perhaps...
Keeping
Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Nutritional information
| Whole recipe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 957 Kcal or 4,007 Kj | 38 gr | 202 gr | 0 gr |
| 48 % | 14 % | 19 % | 0 % |
| Per 100 g | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 41 Kcal or 172 Kj | 2 gr | 9 gr | 0 gr |
| 2 % | 1 % | 1 % | 0 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 300 g : 0.34 €
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Source
Home made.
This recipe uses (among others)
 | Water: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Quick orange marmalade, Super-green, super-thrifty soup, Quince and apple compote, Bacon rolls, Cretan Bread, ... All |
 | Pasta: You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Tuna pasta, Ham pasta bake, Penne with purple artichokes, Penne with Mushrooms, Pasta with pesto and preserved tomatoes, ... All |
 | Coarse salt: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Stock-pot fish , How to prepare Jerusalem artichokes, French bean salad with vinaigrette , Roast potatoes "à la provençale", Pickled gherkins, ... All |
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