What’s The Best Way To Cook Pasta?

[Arpitasoma9]

Hello everyone!
I prefer Italian food over South Indian Food. One of my favorite Italian food is pasta. But I face difficulties while cooking pasta. After straining the pasta and putting it back in the pan where it was cooked, it always feels very sticky and is hard to get out of the pan. Is there anyway to get rid of that feel/texture?

[Xeronema]

I'd say, don't cook Pasta, I like her and don't want her being cooked. However, I won't say that, because you won't have a clue what I'm on about, as you are a new member to AB and don't know PastaFreak.

Do you pour boiling water over your pasta after you've strained it, to wash away excess starch?

[rockyracoon]

How long do you cook it? You may be doing it for too long.
If you have sauce prepared, drain it and bring it straight to the sauce. It'll get stickier the longer you leave it..

[Buenchico]

Use a large volume of water, plenty of salt, stir it occasionally, don't over-drain it and, when cooked, serve it straight way. (Why on earth are putting it back into the pan?)

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-cook-perfect-pasta

[pastafreak]

Thanks for saving me xeronema! ;)

It does sound as if its overcooked.
Whether you add it back in the pan (?), or into a serving bowl...its a good idea to mix it with a bit of the cooking water followed by the sauce. Hope that helps.

[MissTerious2]

I always do that Pasta.

I now have visions of you sitting in my ver large wok !!

[Atheist]

I'd say, please don't add plenty of salt to the cooking water. It won't solve your problem, and it just makes you inured to the over-salting which is endemic nowadays. Use a decent sauce, but don't add salt and then throw it down the sink when you strain your pasta.

[Buenchico]

https://www.marthastewart.com/7991821/why-salt-pasta-water

[pastafreak]

Eek MissT...how big is your wok??

[barry1010]

I have forgotten to salt pasta water occasionally and the meal was spoilt. Adding salt at the table doesn't help

[calmck]

I always add salt and olive oil to the pasta water. Cook for time stated on the packet. Different cooking times for different pastas and brands. Drain and rinse with boiling water

[tomus42]

I don't think you're supposed to add oil to the cooking water. It stops whatever sauce you use from sticking to the pasta.

[MissTerious2]

I put olive oil in the water too, but never rinse i put some of the cooking water in with theasta. With spaghetti I just use a spaghetti server and spoon from pan straight onto plates.

[pastafreak]

When I used to eat pasta, I always added both salt and olive oil to the water. Never rinsed it though.

[rowanwitch]

Olive oil and salt here too, always err on the side of a lightly undercooking as the pasta will continue to absorb a small amount of the residual water in the first 30 seconds or so after you remove it from the heat.

[Hopkirk]

Shocking really, but I boil the pasta in chopped tomatoes with a bit of water added. Also olive oil, dried herbs, salt, pepper, sometimes balsamic vinegar and a dash of worcester sauce. No draining at all.

[Canary42]

I don't understand the culinary habit of adding salt to everything. I never add it to anything, before, during, or after cooking, there is more than enough salt in food naturally.

I know the top chefs say it brings out the food's flavour, but that's not my experience.

Pasta I rinse with hot water before adding any sauce.

[jourdain2]

Well, we never cook pasta or potatoes or anything with salt (medical thing for OH and we've got used to it). It sounds as if you are overcooking it - it should be 'al dente' i.e. firm in the middle. I always rinse off with boiling water.

[carolegif]

The lovely Genarro Contaldo says to put lots of salt into pasta so it tastes of the sea! I add oil to my gluten free pasta as it sticks together if I don’t! Don’t add it to my O H’s normal pasta.
I also cook it a couple of minutes less than says on the packet. Then it won’t stick.

[Atheist]

I agree with jourdain about the salt. In my view it doesn't bring out the flavour, it masks it.
I cook pasta in generous amount of water, heat as low as possible so long as the pasta moves around and doesn't just simmer; no lid (the only thing I boil with no lid!) and stir from time to time to make sure it doesn't clump up, which it can do if left unstirred on a low gas. About 4 mins before the theoretical cooking time, I start to pull a thread and check its firmness by biting it; it should not be soft and soggy. When it's just about done I pour through a colander and then replace in the pan before it's fully drained and then add previously heated sauce, then mix it for a mnute and dish it out.