Pasta Cooking Tips

Beginning with the best quality pasta, follow these time-honored preparation pointers to ensure the best results from the package to the plate.

• Use a tall, deep cooking pot rather than a wide, shallow one. Remembering that the pasta will swell, generously fill up the pot with about 4 quarts of water.
• Season the water with salt before you add the pasta. It’s the best way to bring out the flavor of the pasta.
• Do not add olive oil to your cooking water. If you’re trying to keep the pasta from clumping as it cooks, make sure you have ample water in the pot and stir frequently, especially early in the cooking process. Don’t add it to your drained pasta, either…it will only make your carefully prepared sauce slide right off the pasta.
• Unless you’re making pasta salad, there’s no need to rinse your cooked pasta with water. The starch helps the sauce bind to the pasta.
• Before draining, save some of the pasta water to add to your sauce. Add as needed to help loosen the sauce.
• To reheat cooked pasta, place pasta in a colander and pour hot or boiling water over it, or immerse it in a pot of boiling water for 15 seconds. Cooked pasta will keep in your refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.