Pasta Tid Bits
- To prevent mushy pasta, add it to the pot only when the water is at a full boil and keep it at a steady boil throughout the cooking time.
- Do not allow pasta to sit in water past its cooked time, this will make pasta too soft.
- Adding salt to the water when cooking pasta will help firm the pasta and bring out its flavor.
- To prevent the pasta from sticking together, be sure to use plenty of water and stir the pasta when first adding it to the boiling water Adding a drizzle of olive oil to the water will help to prevent noodles from sticking together- most helpful when cooking large noodles like lasagna.
- Pasta should be cooked as close to serving time as possible because it cools down quickly.
- To bring pasta water to a boil more quickly, cover the pot with a lid while you are heating the water. Do not cover the pot while cooking the pasta, it will cause pasta to clump together.
- If you pasta sauce seems a little dry or clumped together, add a few tablespoons of the pasta's cooking water to smooth it out.
- For pasta that will be baked in a sauce, reduce the cooking time as it will continue to cook and soften while baking.
- Avoid rinsing your pasta after cooking. This will cool your pasta and rinse off the starches your pasta needs for the sauce to cling to.