My first attempt at cooking fresh pasta.
Discussion
Oil is a myth, it'll float and the pasta will sink. It doesn't do anything.
Salt would raise the boiling point, but you'd need much more than you think. It's more effective to use a lid on the pan to hold the heat in, though you'll need to balance it half on or it'll boil over. Chefs will still use the salt to 'add flavour', but I skip it.
Just use a big pan, more than half full, and carefully use a lid to keep it boiling quite hard. Cook the pasta to your liking. We used to murder it, then we learned the phrase 'al dente' and now many undercook it. Try it, and eat it when you like it.
More importantly, make a nice sauce and add the pasta to the sauce and stir it so it all gets properly coated.
Salt would raise the boiling point, but you'd need much more than you think. It's more effective to use a lid on the pan to hold the heat in, though you'll need to balance it half on or it'll boil over. Chefs will still use the salt to 'add flavour', but I skip it.
Just use a big pan, more than half full, and carefully use a lid to keep it boiling quite hard. Cook the pasta to your liking. We used to murder it, then we learned the phrase 'al dente' and now many undercook it. Try it, and eat it when you like it.
More importantly, make a nice sauce and add the pasta to the sauce and stir it so it all gets properly coated.
Wadeski said:
Yep, and that was exactly what was tested. Its an urban myth.
It might stop it foaming though, as its an impurity in the water, but that doesnt really affect the stickiness either.
That's all fine but how can it be an urban myth if someone (i.e. me) is telling you that I do the urban myth thing on an almost daily basis and that for me it works? It might stop it foaming though, as its an impurity in the water, but that doesnt really affect the stickiness either.
DangerousMike said:
it doesn't matter if you stir the oil and the water together because they will separate out again.
Yes, that's true but nevertheless it works, good grief I am half tempted to invite you all around to demonstrate the point and would actually do this but just know the 3 odd of you would then stand there and go "oh, yeah I see what you mean..." As for Heston, clever as he is, he is hardly day to day, rather more experiment to experiment.
Mobile Chicane said:
Aahh... but when you drain it - that's when the oil comes into it's own.
However. The number of differing (yet equally vociferous) opinions on the treatment of pasta merely demonstrate how Italy, as a nation, is ungovernable.
There you go being all diplomatic whilst at the same time completely abusing an entire nation! However. The number of differing (yet equally vociferous) opinions on the treatment of pasta merely demonstrate how Italy, as a nation, is ungovernable.
I really dont get the issue here. I do the following with both pasta AND rice.
During the cooking stage (rice gets well rinsed of starch before hand several times), largest pan available and the most water you can get in each to allow rolling without flooding. EDIT Pasta gets oil (couldn't care which type as I stir and monitor)
Both are cooked to "eating" point! If you are still cooking the rest of the "menu", then slowly rinse rice/pasta COLD to prevent further cooking and when ready to serve etc, pour through boiled water (to reheat) drain and serve. Admittedly its flummoxed people when attempting to explain but it works every time for me. Yep I'm still single
Obviously frying etc allow addition of different flavours.
During the cooking stage (rice gets well rinsed of starch before hand several times), largest pan available and the most water you can get in each to allow rolling without flooding. EDIT Pasta gets oil (couldn't care which type as I stir and monitor)
Both are cooked to "eating" point! If you are still cooking the rest of the "menu", then slowly rinse rice/pasta COLD to prevent further cooking and when ready to serve etc, pour through boiled water (to reheat) drain and serve. Admittedly its flummoxed people when attempting to explain but it works every time for me. Yep I'm still single
Obviously frying etc allow addition of different flavours.
Edited by Digger on Thursday 19th August 01:14
Romanymagic said:
AAAaaarrrgghhhhhHHHH! See my other posts!!
Sorry.I wasn't ignoring you; I do actually read all posts before I offer my own near worthless opinion.
But, my experience has been different. If you were even remotely 'pro' you'd have been using a much bigger 'pan than us household slaves. That's probably far more important than a dribble of oil or a teaspoon of salt, neither of which will do much in two or three litres of boiling water.
All the best, and thanks for your advice. Wish I had something to raise a glass with; and hope you do.
grumbledoak said:
Romanymagic said:
AAAaaarrrgghhhhhHHHH! See my other posts!!
Sorry.I wasn't ignoring you; I do actually read all posts before I offer my own near worthless opinion.
But, my experience has been different. If you were even remotely 'pro' you'd have been using a much bigger 'pan than us household slaves. That's probably far more important than a dribble of oil or a teaspoon of salt, neither of which will do much in two or three litres of boiling water.
All the best, and thanks for your advice. Wish I had something to raise a glass with; and hope you do.
Your opinion is valid (rather than worthless) as is mine.
That's fine difference in opinion is what creates discussion, oh and I am only semi-pro (don't do that full time pro kitchen stuff)!
Finally
Danny S said:
..didn't go down well.
First of all i presumed the smallest pan would be big enough.. but as the pasta on the top was floating out of the pan, i realised it wasn't
I then tried a medium sized one then onto the biggest one - that seemed to fit - but by now half arsed cooking time was already 10 mins when the box says 2-3 mins
Then i forgot to turn it off as i was washing the pots, and long story short the pasta came out all soggy and damn right minging.
Any tips for next time?
Admitably i do not cook for myself a lot, sometimes pasta but never fresh one!
Dan
Sorry, I thought you meant that you'd made your own pasta from scratch.First of all i presumed the smallest pan would be big enough.. but as the pasta on the top was floating out of the pan, i realised it wasn't
I then tried a medium sized one then onto the biggest one - that seemed to fit - but by now half arsed cooking time was already 10 mins when the box says 2-3 mins
Then i forgot to turn it off as i was washing the pots, and long story short the pasta came out all soggy and damn right minging.
Any tips for next time?
Admitably i do not cook for myself a lot, sometimes pasta but never fresh one!
Dan
Seriously, if you can't even cook pasta properly, just give up now.
Just to throw in my final 2 lire I never bother with so-called 'fresh' pasta from supermarkets. It's a high margin item designed to sucker in the lazy and the unwary. (I'd bet most Italians use dried.)
Likewise ready-made sauces. It takes 5 minutes to make a sauce from 4 ripe tomatoes, a splash of olive oil, a sliced garlic clove and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.
Likewise ready-made sauces. It takes 5 minutes to make a sauce from 4 ripe tomatoes, a splash of olive oil, a sliced garlic clove and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.
Mobile Chicane said:
Just to throw in my final 2 lire I never bother with so-called 'fresh' pasta from supermarkets. It's a high margin item designed to sucker in the lazy and the unwary. (I'd bet most Italians use dried.)
Likewise ready-made sauces. It takes 5 minutes to make a sauce from 4 ripe tomatoes, a splash of olive oil, a sliced garlic clove and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.
that's not going to cut it as carbonara is it?Likewise ready-made sauces. It takes 5 minutes to make a sauce from 4 ripe tomatoes, a splash of olive oil, a sliced garlic clove and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.
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