Pasta - Ultimate Pasta Cooking Guide!

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,547
1
81
Pasta rules. Can't have enough of this stuff. I am 6'3", around 208 lbs, and I eat a box of pasta everyday. I think Italian side of my blood is taking over me. Capite che cosa sto dicendovi?

I :heart: pasta.

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Edit: decided to copy this to my OP, so enjoy :)

ULTIMATE PASTA COOKING GUIDE:

Ok, cooking pasta is an art to me, here I'll briefly explain the steps to cook the pasta itself, not the sauce or anything.

First step is to decide what kind of pasta you want. Smaller shaped ones like Fuzili will have a thicker taste than thin and long ones like Spaghetti or Angel Hair. If you use Spaghetti or Angel Hair, do NOT break them in half. Second step is to get a large pan! It has to be very large so that it can take 1 liter of water for every 100 grams of pasta. This is very important for the water to keep its composition throughout the boiling process. Turn your range on, probably about 75% way on to the max temperature. Let it boil. Do not add anything into the water till it boils. Once it boils, add salt. The amount depends on your personal preference, but I use about 10-12 grams. This will calm down the water, so wait for it to boil again. Once its boiling again, put in the pasta. As you put in the pasta, stir it with a wooden spatula or something similar so it wont stick. And if you are not on diet, I strongly recommend extra-virgin olive oil as you stir the pasta (even if you're on a diet, this is the kind of oil you don't want to run away from). Now that you put in the pasta, set the heat to about 60% of the way to the max heat. Let it cook and cook and cook. Taste a few pieces to see how you like it. I like my Pasta NOT very soft (as with Italians also). Now drain the pasta really well, but do NOT run cold or warm water over it. Just let it drain. Now serve directly to the plates.

I could actually write up the art of sauces too but it will take hours, I really spend too much time on the sauce. But one good commercially available sauce is Rao's Homemade Marinara. It has less ordinary fat than other brands and tastes most authentic. One important thing to remember is to not put too much sauce on the pasta. In other words, pasta should not be swimming in the sauce. Its there to supplement the taste of pasta, not take over it I also put some olive oil on top the sauce, along with basils and oregano but those are my personal tastes. Anyways, I hope this helps!

Buon Apetito!
 

altonb1

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2002
6,432
0
71
Originally posted by: Juno
i never got sick of eating chinese food everyday.

<~~ korean

I could eat chinese food daily, too.

<----- Mutt! (mostly european, but native american, too)
 

potato28

Diamond Member
Jun 27, 2005
8,964
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Baked beans and spagetti noodles are great! The beans must be maple syrup flavored tho!
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
I've been eating pasta most of the time for the last 6 months or so since I got to university.
You can keep your ramen whatever, a huge bag of pasta is all I need, works out at about $0.80/kg or $0.35/lb roughly. :p
 
L

Lola

i love food, but pasta is the one thing i do not prefer... maybe i am not eating the right kind of pasta... any suggestions on what pasta to use for a simple dish with a sauce?
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i love food, but pasta is the one thing i do not prefer... maybe i am not eating the right kind of pasta... any suggestions on what pasta to use for a simple dish with a sauce?

Fusilli, spaghetti or tagliatelli are probably best IMO.
 
L

Lola

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i love food, but pasta is the one thing i do not prefer... maybe i am not eating the right kind of pasta... any suggestions on what pasta to use for a simple dish with a sauce?

Fusilli, spaghetti or tagliatelli are probably best IMO.

any brand in particular though?
 

kogase

Diamond Member
Sep 8, 2004
5,213
0
0
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
Originally posted by: Lonyo
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i love food, but pasta is the one thing i do not prefer... maybe i am not eating the right kind of pasta... any suggestions on what pasta to use for a simple dish with a sauce?

Fusilli, spaghetti or tagliatelli are probably best IMO.

any brand in particular though?

Barilla? San Giorgo? They're all pretty similar tasting. Barilla has all the fancy shapes though and is actually Italian.
 

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,547
1
81
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i love food, but pasta is the one thing i do not prefer... maybe i am not eating the right kind of pasta... any suggestions on what pasta to use for a simple dish with a sauce?

You're probably cooking it wrong... :(

Tell me how you cook it, if it is the American way, its wrong :(
 

sygyzy

Lifer
Oct 21, 2000
14,001
4
76
Originally posted by: kogase
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
Originally posted by: Lonyo
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i love food, but pasta is the one thing i do not prefer... maybe i am not eating the right kind of pasta... any suggestions on what pasta to use for a simple dish with a sauce?

Fusilli, spaghetti or tagliatelli are probably best IMO.

any brand in particular though?

Barilla? San Giorgo? They're all pretty similar tasting. Barilla has all the fancy shapes though and is actually Italian.

Brands do not mattter. Pasta has advanced so far that any pasta you buy (yes, even the dry pasta) is very good pasta.
 
L

Lola

i cook it al dente or however you cook it, but then what is the RIGHT way to properly cook it?
 

kogase

Diamond Member
Sep 8, 2004
5,213
0
0
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i cook it al dente or however you cook it, but then what is the RIGHT way to properly cook it?

Al dente (you actually have to know how this feels, not just do it by time), with about a tablespoon of salt in the water (depending on how salty you want it, might want more). If it tastes watery it's overcooked, it should be chewy but not have any "chrunch". After it's been drained mix in some butter or olive oil (if it's going to be served plain) or mix in your sauce.
 

sygyzy

Lifer
Oct 21, 2000
14,001
4
76
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i cook it al dente or however you cook it, but then what is the RIGHT way to properly cook it?

That IS the proper way to cook it. Read the directions on the side of the package. It's spot on.
 

computeerrgghh

Golden Member
Apr 10, 2005
1,121
0
0
Originally posted by: LolaWiz
i love food, but pasta is the one thing i do not prefer... maybe i am not eating the right kind of pasta... any suggestions on what pasta to use for a simple dish with a sauce?

Maybe its the sauce? I personally like the Rinaldi Diavolo sauce.