Pasta Secrets

Yesterday I made spaghetti for dinner. Spaghetti is super easy, no issues there but, sometimes when I boil the noodles, they stick together. And, I just found out why as I read my book “Secrets from the Southern Living Test Kitchens.” This Book has been on my bookshelf for years. It has tons of cooking, baking and, kitchen information and a generous amount recipes. I’m quite pleased with all the knowledge I am gaining from just browsing through the pages.

But back to the sticky pasta…..The book states that pasta needs plenty of room to boil. You need 3 quarts of rapidly boiling water for every 8 ounces of dried pasta. Also, you need to stir during the first couple of minutes because this is when the starch is released and causes the noodles to stick together. If you want you can add a small amount of vegetable or olive oil to the water to help prevent sticking. This may help but I tend to believe that the oil also prevents the sauces from sticking to the noodles; so I don’t use the oil.

When the pasta is completely cooked, mix it together with the sauce as soon as possible after draining because pasta begins to stick together as it cools.

Sometimes a recipe will direct you to rinse pasta for salads. Once rinsed pasta is chilled it does not stick together any longer because a lot of the start has has been washed away.

So I have concluded that I have been cooking pasta noodles in the wrong size pot. I usually boil a pound at a time and use a 3 or 4 quart sauce pot. From now on I will just grab a stock pot.

I’m always excited when I learn a new cooking secret or shortcut. I hope you do too.

Talk you you all tomorrow,

Kim Cherie

#septemberwritingchallenge

Day17