I’ve been meaning to post these for ages.
- The better pastas are made with durum wheat, which results in more gluten, and results in a sturdier (and some would say more flavorful) pasta.
- Never turn down fresh pasta.
- Avoid store-bought dried pastas if the package contains excessive crumbling, or the pasta looks dusty.
- Serving Size rules of thumb for dried pastas? Two ounces for a side dish, four ounces for a main course serving.
- Serving Size rules of thumb for fresh pastas? Three ounces for a side dish, five for a main course (Water weight is the cause of the discrepancy).
- Boil four quarts of water per pound of pasta.
- Salt should be added to the water after it starts boiling. One teaspoon (give or take) per quart of water boiled.
- Adding oil does not provide much benefit to boiling water nor to keeping noodles unstuck.
- Have the water boiling rapidly before adding the pasta.
- One does not need to break spaghetti noodles (or other long pasta) in order to get them into the water. Simply use tongs or stir with a wooden spoon after being in the water for about twenty seconds.
- Pasta still cooks after being pulled from the boiling water, so it’s best to pull it out if it feels al dente when you take a test bite.
- Al dente means tender, but still firm. But if you still hear or feel a snap when you take a bite of the pasta, it’s not quite done.
- Drain the water from the pasta as much as possible before topping with your sauce/oil of choice.
- Have the sauce prepared before the pasta is done so that it can be applied immediately to the pasta.
- Pasta should be coated with sauce, not be swimming in it.
- Quick rule of thumb for saucing your pasta: Long, thin noodles get the smoother sauces. Chunkier sauces are applied to the smaller, sturdier pastas. YMMV.
- If you overcook your pasta, a rinse in tepid water may reduce its stickiness.
- After you drain the pasta, then you oil it (rather than adding oil to the boiling water, then serve.
- Serving pasta in bowls, rather than plates, will keep the pasta warmer for a longer period of time.
- Leftover pasta is great in a frittata.
As always, you can post your own tips in the comments.
