All About Cooking Pasta

What is pasta?

Pasta, a blend of flour, water, and sometimes eggs, comprises primarily starch and protein. Visualize starch molecules as tiny water-filled balloons; upon heating in a moist environment, they absorb water until bursting, releasing starch that acts like a binding glue, causing pasta to stick together initially during cooking.

As cooking progresses and we stir the pasta, the starch disperses into the water, allowing the pasta to reclaim its individuality. Throughout this process, the starches absorb water, softening the pasta, while the proteins undergo changes, providing structure, particularly evident in soft, fresh egg-based pasta. The ideal outcome arises when the pasta is lifted from the water precisely when the proteins have fortified the noodles and the starches have reached the perfect balance—yielding a soft yet resilient texture known as al dente.

How to cook pasta?

Cooking pasta involves a two-part process: hydration and actual cooking. Typically, these occur simultaneously as the pasta absorbs water while cooking. However, it doesn’t always have to be this way.

Surprisingly, whether we begin with hot or cold water, the amount of water absorbed by pasta remains nearly the same (roughly 75% of their dry weight).

Interestingly, pasta cooked in a smaller water volume has a notable advantage: the pasta water, richer in starch, effectively thickens sauces and helps them adhere to the cooked pasta.

When pasta portions are added equally to different-sized pots, the smaller pot experiences a more significant drop in temperature. However, the energy needed to bring both sizes of pots back to boiling remains constant because a burner releases energy at a fixed rate.

Regardless of the water volume, the rate at which our pot returns to the boiling point (212°F or 100°C) remains consistent. Interestingly, larger pots with more surface area may take longer to reach a boil due to greater energy loss to the environment.

For an efficient cooking method, it’s recommend using a medium saucepan. Add dry pasta, cover it with salted water by an inch or two, and place it on a high burner. Stir occasionally. Once it reaches a boil, cover the pot, lower the heat to the minimum. Even without a vigorous boil, the pasta continues to cook as long as it remains above 180°F / 82°C. Follow the box instructions for timing, starting the timer when it boils and subtracting a minute or two from the suggested time.

Pre-Soaking Pasta?

Tthe “1-minute pasta” trick consist of soaking dried pasta until fully hydrated, then cook it by tossing it in hot sauce or our preferred method. It emerges as if it underwent simultaneous cooking and hydration. The brilliance lies in pre-soaking pasta, sitting ready in the fridge, eliminating the need to boil water every time we need pasta.

Preparing pasta becomes a breeze. Just soak the pasta while prepping a sauce or other fixings. When the sauce reaches its flavorful peak, the pasta is hydrated and ready. Just add it to the sauce and let it finish cooking. Easy-peasy!

Exceptions to the Rule

There are moments when starting with a large pot of already boiling water is crucial. Fresh pasta, crafted with eggs, demands a boiling start; otherwise, it won’t set properly, leading to a mushy or disintegrated texture during cooking.

Another exception applies to long, slender pasta shapes like spaghetti or fettuccine. Due to their easy stacking, they are prone to sticking. As these pastas heat and absorb moisture, surface starches become sticky. In smaller pots, where there’s less space to maneuver, strands might fuse permanently if stuck together during this process.

For cooking long, thin pasta, we have two main options. The traditional method involves a large pot of salted boiling water, allowing ample space to move the pasta around, minimizing the risk of sticking.

Alternatively, there’s the pre-soak approach. Since starch requires heat for proper gelling, soaking pasta in cold water hydrates it without sticking. Once fully hydrated, finish it off in the sauce, and it’s ready to serve.

Concerning the issue of pasta sticking while cooking, it’s a genuine concern. If we drop pasta into boiling water and leave it untouched, it will inevitably stick together. Surprisingly, this happens regardless of whether we’re using a large pot with ample water or a smaller one.

The primary culprit is the initial phase of cooking when starch molecules burst, releasing starch onto the pasta’s surface. This high starch concentration leads to sticking. However, once the starch washes away in the water, the sticking problem vanishes completely.

The trick is to gently stir the pasta during the crucial first minute or two. After this brief period, whether the pasta is fully submerged or barely covered by water, it won’t stick at all.

Avoid experimenting with fresh pasta. It’s a scenario where waiting for the water to reheat results in soft, mushy pasta, especially like the hand-crafted fettuccine shown earlier. Fresh egg pasta tends to absorb too much and lacks structure until the egg proteins solidify.

Does pasta water needs salt?

Season the water but not for a quicker cook. While some claim salt elevates the boiling point, resulting in faster pasta cooking, it’s not significant, just a mere half a degree difference. However, salt is crucial for flavor enhancement, making the pasta more delicious.

Does oil prevent sticking?

Skip adding oil to the water or onto the pasta after cooking. Oil in the boiling water merely floats on the surface, offering no benefit in keeping the pasta separate. Plus, as we’ve learned, a good stir at the right time prevents sticking. Adding oil after cooking makes it harder for the sauce to adhere properly.

Immediately coat the pasta with sauce. Have the sauce ready in a separate pan beside the boiling pasta. Upon draining the pasta, swiftly transfer it to the saucepan and toss to coat, using reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency as needed. This ensures a well-covered, flavorful pasta dish.

What about the lid?

It’s perfectly fine to cover the pot while waiting for the water to boil. In fact, some praise the concept of ‘passive cooking’ for pasta—a technique involving a mere two minutes of boiling before turning off the heat, covering the pot, and allowing the pasta to rest in the hot water for the remaining duration.

Is “Al dente” the best pasta?

Al dente isn’t about being snobbish; it’s about enhancing the pasta experience with a delightful texture.

Most pastas cook best when boiled for about 90 seconds less than the suggested time. But here’s the twist: it doesn’t mean we should eat it when it’s hard in the center (unless that’s our preference). Pasta continues to cook for a minute even after draining, and longer if we’re adding it to hot sauce. So, removing it from heat a tad earlier prevents it from turning into a mushy mess.

Taste-test a piece every 15 or 20 seconds toward the end of the cooking time to catch that perfect moment but all is up to personal preferences.

Should we rinse the pasta?

Rinsing hot pasta in cold water won’t do our meal any good—unless, of course, we’re whipping up a pasta salad. In reality, rinsing hot pasta in cold water washes away its delightful starch that potentially could aid the sauce to stick to it more.

What about letting the pasta dry?

While allowing potatoes to steam might be appropriate, pasta doesn’t share the same sentiment. If left steaming in a colander, pasta becomes gummy and sticks together fast. Swiftly transfer it from the pot to the sauce, preferably using tongs or a slotted spoon, directly from the cooking water.

That starchy cooking water is like magic for thickening up the pasta sauce. Don’t toss it away! Always reserve around half a cup and add it to the sauce before the pasta makes its grand entrance.

Do all pasta shapes taste equal?

Once they’re drenched in sauce, pasta shapes come to life with distinct flavors. It’s like ensuring the house stands on a solid foundation or wearing the right undergarments beneath a dress—the pasta and sauce need to harmonize for a flawless dining experience.

Pairing the sauce with the right pasta shape and type enhances each dish. Fusilli and conchiglie (those shell-shaped wonders) thrive with rich, watery sauces like tomato, as they capture and hold the sauce well. On the other hand, spaghetti and rigatoni shine with more robust sauces, such as bolognese. As for delicate taglioni, they dance best with lighter sauces, like pesto.

Is fresh pasta better than dried?

Some argue that “fresh” automatically means better, while others claim Italians favor dried pasta. But they’re just different.

Fresh pasta, crafted from egg, flour, and water, boasts a silky, tender texture that beautifully complements light sauces and delicate dishes like ravioli. On the flip side, dried pasta, typically without egg, offers a sturdier texture that holds its ground splendidly under hefty sauces such as ragu.

Both types have their own charms and are perfect for specific culinary adventures. With fresh pasta enhancing delicate flavors and dried pasta standing strong against heartier sauces, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Do lasagna sheets needs pre-cooking?

We can pre-cook them alright, but as long as every bit of the pasta gets doused in sauce and bechamel during the lasagne construction, those raw sheets should cook to an impeccable al dente without any pre-blanching.

Ensure each sheet is well-covered because nothing’s more disappointing than discovering a surprise crunchy corner in our lasagne.

An interesting tidbit: Dating back to the 1300s, the medieval British cookbook, The Forme of Cury, features a recipe for ‘loseyns’ (pronounced ‘lasan’) which -Layers of pasta cloaked in cheese- looks and sounds eerily like Lasagne. Could this renowned Italian pasta dish actually have British origins? Researchers at the British Museum seem to think so.

Do we really have to throw pasta to the wall?

Avoid tossing the spaghetti onto the wall as a way to check if it’s cooked. Not only is it an unreliable method, but we’ll end up with a messy wall to clean. The most reliable way? Simply take a bite to check if it’s done.

Summary

• Pasta is made of flour, water and sometimes egg.
• Cooking pasta involves hydration and a cooking phase which not necessarily need to happen at the same time.
• Smaller pots cook pasta just as well and require less energy.
• Add salt to water for flavor, skip the oil and put on the lid to save energy.
• Don’t throw pasta to the wall. Ever.