How to cook pasta?

Name: How to cook pasta?
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: En
Ingredients: 7 oz pasta (spaghetti); 1 Tbsp salt; 8 cups water

Side dish

Very Easy

12 min

349 Kcal

What's better than a pasta dish? A basic recipe from Italian cuisine. Cooking pasta isn't always straightforward: how long should you cook it, should you add olive oil or butter, and how much water should you use for how much pasta? Pasta needs a large volume of salted water, and the recipe is very easy. Today we're going to use long pasta (spaghetti), but the quantities will be exactly the same for short pasta; only the cooking time will vary.

Ingredients

7 oz pasta (spaghetti)
1 Tbsp salt
8 cups water

Materials

A large saucepan
A wooden spatula

Preparation

Preparation2 min

Cook time10 min

Start by boiling your water over high heat in a large saucepan.
When the water boils, add salt.
Put the pasta in the boiling water, stir with a spatula, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes (8 minutes for al dente, 10 minutes for fully cooked), starting the timer when the water comes back to a boil.
All you have to do is drain your pasta, and it's ready!

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Observations

How much pasta should you allow per person?
Allow 3.5 oz (100 g) of pasta per person. It's very easy to make large quantities. You just need a very large saucepan.

Can you substitute something for salt in boiling water?
You can add vegetable broth or flavorings if you wish.

How can you find out how long to cook pasta?
For each type of pasta, check the cooking time recommended on the package. In general, it's about 10 minutes.

How should you cook pasta that will be served with sauce?
If you want to add your pasta to a sauce, it's best to cook it al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce, so you can avoid overcooking it.

How much salt should I add?
For cooking dried pasta, the rule is simple: 1/2 Tbsp (10 grams) for 4 cups (1 liter) of water!

What degree of doneness is best for digestion?
In Italian cuisine, pasta is eaten al dente because this cooking method helps the body better absorb complex carbohydrates and therefore helps curb appetite.

What can you do with pasta cooking water?
You can save a cup of pasta cooking water. It can be used to thin the sauce served with the pasta and help it coat the pasta better.

This water can also be used as a household cleaner! Salt and boiling water are very effective for removing stubborn dirt and cleaning stains.

What can you serve with pasta?
You can serve it with a sauce (carbonara, pesto, Bolognese, etc.) or enjoy it plain with a drizzle of olive oil and fleur de sel, for example.