BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Home Cooking Our Pasta Debate

My husband and I are at odds over the correct cooking and finishing of basic pastas.

I usually make my pasta rather than buy pre-packaged. However, either way, my husband prefers the limp, soft noodle and I a more "al dente" consistency. I add salt to the water, wait for a healthy, rolling boil and time the noodles based on their size and shape.

Depending upon the dish I am preparing, I either pour into a collander and rinse (fettucini alfredo) or dip from the pot (lasagna) as needed.

1) What is your preference in noodle consistency?

2) Do you cook pasta by the type (i.e. spaghetti, macaroni, vermicelli, etc.,)? For instance, does spaghetti only take ten minutes at a boil and macaroni less?

3) When putting your pasta into the water, do wait for a rolling boil? Do you add anything to the water? (Salt, oil, seasonings, etc.)

4) When you remove your pasta from the heat, do you immediately pour into a collander? Do you dip from the water? Do you rinse with cold water or add ice to stop the "cooking"?

I am truly curious! I wonder if this may be a debate in your household ......

Kitty <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I just have to add in, when I was little, my dad said that you tell pasta is done by throwing it against a wall. If it sticks, it's done! Surprisingly, this works in my house, though I've heard of others whove tried it and failed <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

The funny thing is, my hubby and I got in a semi-arguement about pasta one day, and I said look it's done! and chucked it at the wall behind my hubby... missed and got it on his glasses. He in turn chucked a bunch of cheese at me, etc etc.... we ate out that evening <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
(please dont try chucking noodles straight out of the pot at people, you'll burn them badly, then feel really guilty and have to spend lots of time making it up to them <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> )

Hi Kitty,
Well, it's not a debate at our house. My husband just eats it the way I cook it. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> He does the grocery shopping, he'll make sandwiches if he's hungry, and sometimes breakfast. He loves to eat, but doesn't like to cook, so he rarely has anything to say about how something is made.

You usually make your own pasta...I'm impressed! I haven't done that in a very long time.

To cook pasta, I always bring the water to a rolling boil first and add the pasta gradually so it doesn't stop the boil. I stir it with a large wooden spoon to keep it from sticking together.

Salt adds flavor and keeps the pasta from getting soggy and sticky. Add salt to the boiling water just before adding the pasta.

I use a spaghetti pot to cook pasta - it has a strainer insert that lifts out to drain the pasta. If you use plenty of water you should't have to add oil or rinse the pasta for hot dishes. Rinsing cools it and removes the starchiness. For hot dishes, I want it piping hot and I want the sauce to cling. For cold salads, I do rinse it with cold water to cool it and remove the surface starch so it does't soak up the dressing too fast.

How long I cook it really depends on what I'm making. For mac & cheese or anything that gets baked, I cook it only until barely tender.

Thanks for the tip, Jessica. I heard about that wall trick before, but never tried it! <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Sandy

For us we aim at a level of tenderness on the pasta so the cooking time would differ based on the type of pasta, the freshness of the pasta, and other factors. My favorite pasta is shells, my boyfriend's favorite is ziti.

We cook starting with cold water and salt and oil in the pot so it boils more quickly and keeps the pasta from sticking. When it boils we stir in the pasta. Then maybe 8 minutes later depending on the various factors we start tasting it to see how it is. I like it just past the tough to bite stage. So now really soft and mushy, but so you can still bite through it without gnawing at it.

When it's ready, we dump it into a strainer, shake out the water, and then put it onto plates nice and steaming hot.

My childhood 'comfort food' is shells and margarine, with other 'comfort foods' like peas or corn and those crescent rolls along with it <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Oh ... you cook it?

Perhaps that's why Ray can't eat it? <BEG>