To cook Pasta.

To cook spaghetti like all pasta is a matter of timing. It is easy to over cook the pasta; especially if you are adding it to another sauce and warming it threw in the sauce.

First you need a big pan. You need a pan that will be able to let the pasta move as it is cooking. If you do not have the free movement then you will find that it will stick together and that will give you a little problem latter. The best kind of pan for cooking pasta is a purpose made one. This is the kind of stainless steel pan that has perforated pan that fits into solid outer pan with a tight fitting lid. They are grate for just adding your pasta to and then when it is ready you can just lift it out.

Now as a rule you want to allow for 5lt or 8pts of water for every 500g or 1ld 2oz of pasta. Bring your water to a rolling boil and add some salt and if you like some oil. Now I know that every one tells you that you should add oil to the water to help the pasta from sticking together but if you allow for plenty of water then this is not necessary. And you can add a little oil to the pasta after it has cooked and this will stop it from sticking together as it cools.

Now take your spaghetti and hold it all together in your hand at one end. Then place the other end into the water and allow it to curl as it cooks. Slowly apply peruse as it goes in to the water and then let it go once it can all enter the water. Just be very carful as you do not want to scald your self so you can turn down the heat if you want to. Then Alow the water to come back to the boil, then simmer until the pasta is cooked.

Now if you want to know how long you need to cook pasta it is not a precise science. All depending on if your pasta is fresh or dried will be the major consideration. For fresh pasta you need to cook that for one to three minuets, for dried pasta eight to fifteen minuets. What you are looking for is some thing called “al dente” that means firm to bite. What you are looking for is some resistance in the pasta as you bite in to it but not raw pasta. If you bite in to pasta and can see that the very middle is still lighter then the outer of the pasta then it is not cooked.

Once cooked then serve straight away or if not plunge in to cold running water and refresh the pasta. Once it is cool take out of the water and then add a little oil and chill. You can keep it like this ideally for no longer than a day or so. If you keep it any longer then it juts takes on more moisture and water and goes very soft.

Now it you are looking for an instant snack cook you pasta and strain the water of. Then in another pan melt a good knob of butter, 2tdsp of extra virgin olive oil, salt, ground black pepper and a little crushed garlic. Add the pasta till it is all shiny and cover in the oil and butter. Then a good hand full of chopped parsley, and serve on to a bowl or plate. Some fine grated fresh parmesan and you have a grate snack in seconds.