Cooking Pasta

Spaghetti, penne, fettuccine, etc. are all classified under pasta and are mostly just different shapes…

A surprising number of people I know do really terrible things to pasta…they overcook it, sometimes even pressure cook it!

Here is the way I love to make my pasta, it doesn’t matter which one I’m using, more or less its almost the same.

In a large heavy bottomed vessel, heat water to a roiling boil. Add a tablespoon or so of salt to this and another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Now add your pasta to this and let it cook, typically for about 8-12 minutes. Pasta should be just slightly raw on the outside and utterly soft and tender on the inside, this is called al dente. You know it is done when you can pass a spoon easily through it. No pasta takes longer than 12-14 minutes to cook…and anything longer than that and you will have gooey, lifeless, unhealthy, fat, sorry excuses for pasta.

Pasta is NOT rice. And really shouldn’t be overcooked or pressure cooked.

Once the pasta is done, drain the water and set aside. The olive oil that you added makes sure that it doesn’t get stuck and stays separate. Use immediately, this is not something you can cook and keep in the fridge though if you have added 3 tablespoons or so of olive oil, it would still be alright to use in a day or so…but I totally prefer freshly made pasta.

Also as far as it’s possible, use a pasta which is an Italian brand. The Italian Government has extremely strict rules about how pasta should be made and you will be guaranteed of a great product!

Love

Shubi