Tips For Cooking Perfect Pasta

All the experts agree. The biggest problem with pasta in the United States is improper cooking: not enough water, putting oil in the cooking water, rinsing the drained pasta.

All these abominations and more have been committed in the name of tradition (American, not Italian). The following advice was echoed by everyone in the industry:

Cook pasta in lots of water - 4 to 6 quarts for 1 pound of pasta.

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, then add salt - at least a tablespoon’s worth. Bring the water back to a boil. Do not add oil! Oil will coat the pasta and keep the sauce from adhering.

Add the pasta, and once again return the water to a fierce boil.

Stir frequently and hang around. “Pasta cooks quickly,” cautions award-winning cookbook author Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

Pasta is done when it is still firm to the bite, but all the rawness is gone. To test, cut a piece of the pasta in half; a white dot in the center is a sign that it is not ready.

Drain quickly in a big colander, and do not rinse! The pasta should remain a little wet, according to Jack Bishop of Cook’s Illustrated magazine: “A little bit of water on the pasta will help spread the sauce.” You may also want to use a little of the cooking liquid to moisten your sauce.

Sauce and eat. Pasta should not be prepared until right before you are ready to eat.