📍 Introduction
Pasta cooked to perfection is heavenly. Having just the right amount of texture and bite is possible with a few easy steps.
🧂 Ingredients & Equipment:
Dried pasta
Colander or strainer
✔️ Instructions:
Boil water in a large pot. Leave enough room to avoid overflow
Season water & add pasta
Set a timer to 3 minutes less than indicated on the box
Taste by using a slotted spoon and cooling the pasta with tap water. Al dente will feel chewy and firm.
Drain. Serve with sauce/toppings. Enjoy!
📝 Notes, Tips, Tricks
If you plan to cook the pasta further with a sauce, remove ~2-3 minutes earlier
A single serving is 2 oz or ½ cup dried. This is ~200 calories. For 4-6 people use one pound (a standard box or bag) worth ~1600 calories.
If storing, toss with a little olive oil to reduce sticking. Reheat in microwave for ~1 min, or by blanching in hot water
If mixing with a sauce, reserve ~ 1 cup of cooking water. It can be used to loosen the sauce without diluting flavor
Remember - you can always cook pasta longer, but you can’t uncook it. If you need to cook it longer, add some liquid back in.
📓 Pasta Add-Ins Reference Guide
Sauce: tomato/marinara, bolognese, cream, cheese, pesto, olive oil, butter, lemon
Cheese: parmesan, ricotta salata, pecorino romano, feta, ricotta
Cooked vegetables: practically anything
Nuts: Pine nuts, chopped walnuts/almonds
Herbs/Aromatics: Garlic, basil, oregano, chives, thyme, parsley
Spices: Red pepper flakes, nutmeg, black pepper
Crunch: Breadcrumbs or smashed croutons
Leftovers (e.g., chicken, sausage, beans, vegetables)
🎓 Further Studies:
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