Tips In Cooking Pasta and Pasta Sauces
By beingwell
@beingwell (3625)
Thailand
June 13, 2011 3:56am CST
Hi everyone! I just read in a Yahoo! article that one of the secrets in cooking pasta is to put loads and loads of salt into a deep pan of water to give the pasta a seasoned taste. It will not make the pasta salty since we are going to throw away the water, anyway.
Also, it says there that we should cook the pasta up to the point where we can still see the center or the eye of the pasta. We should take it out of the water and let it cook on the pan with the pasta sauce later on. This way, the pasta may absorb the taste of our sauce.
Makes sense right? Actually, I tried this and it's yummm!
Do you have some cooking tips of your own? Let's stick with the Pasta and their sauces, for the purpose of our discussion.
3 people like this
8 responses
@CTHanum (8234)
• Malaysia
13 Jun 11
I don't have guts to put salt as much as yours~Hehe....
i don't know if it's work or not. Since I always make that for my family I can't do the second point you mentioned above. Half-cooked the pasta and let it cook on the pan with the sauce since I cook my pasta and its sauce separately~
i don't know if it's work or not. Since I always make that for my family I can't do the second point you mentioned above. Half-cooked the pasta and let it cook on the pan with the sauce since I cook my pasta and its sauce separately~
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
14 Jun 11
I usually cook for my husband and myself only, so I can still afford to experiment. I'd be happy to note that it worked well, mind you. Sorry, did I say half-cook? It should just be a little bit undercook so when you mix it with your pasta (should be in the pan
), it can still absorb the flavor of your sauce.
Sorry, did I say half-cook? It should just be a little bit undercook so when you mix it with your pasta (should be in the pan), it can still absorb the flavor of your sauce.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
13 Jun 11
Do you also know that in cooking the red sauce, you must put a can of tomato paste , to make the sauce sticky and clingy to the spaghetti noodles?
Also, i discovered something too. I add a bit of condensed milk to my sauce. Add a bit first and taste it and then it's up to you . For those who likes their sauce a bit sweet, this one's good for your cooking.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
13 Jun 11
Really? I haven't tried those! Thanks simply. 
I'm actually cooking pasta for dinner. We're having a tomato-based menu and I'll add in some chicken for the proteins.
I'm actually cooking pasta for dinner. We're having a tomato-based menu and I'll add in some chicken for the proteins.@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
13 Jun 11
Wow! pasta for dinner! Okay , you can try it! Drop the condensed milk bit by bit and stir it and taste it until it suits your taste.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
14 Jun 11
Hi simply! Dinner was perfect last night! We had no condensed milk though so I used butter instead. Love it!
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
12 Aug 11
Those tips make sense! But come to think of it how come my pasta taste really great even if I was not doing those things at all! Maybe if I do them my pasta would taste the greatest of all!
Now I'd like to thank you for sharing these tips. At least I can try something else with my pasta next time around and that could be today!
Now I'd like to thank you for sharing these tips. At least I can try something else with my pasta next time around and that could be today!@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
12 Aug 11
Hello once again! My pasta tasted fine before I followed this technique too salonga. Hahahah! I just want to try something new for a change. It won't hurt to learn right? I hope you enjoy this tip. Let me know if it goes well.hihihi...
I hope you enjoy this tip. Let me know if it goes well.hihihi...
@marguicha (215491)
• Chile
27 Jun 11
I cook my pasta with a reasonable amount of salt (not much) but I add some oil so it doesn´t stick together. I also like my pasta al dente (not overcooked). Anyway, I try to use as little salt as I can because all doctors say we have enough salt with what Mother Nature gives us and salt is an acquired taste.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
28 Jun 11
Hi mar, I don't use the water I used to cook my pasta so I won't be having that much salt, too. The salt would only add flavor to the pasta. Notice how the pasta in resto's are made al dente and how it seem to have it's own taste. It's because of the salt when they were being boiled.
I know its an unconventional way of cooking pasta; but I gave it a try anyway. It works, my friend!
The salt would only add flavor to the pasta. Notice how the pasta in resto's are made al dente and how it seem to have it's own taste. It's because of the salt when they were being boiled.
I know its an unconventional way of cooking pasta; but I gave it a try anyway. It works, my friend!
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
13 Jun 11
That is true.
When cooking the pasta alone-let it boil with salt (not too much) and also a drop oil to make the pasta keep loose.
Then,when it is cooked and you throw the water-rinse once with tap water and drain for sometime.
And while it is hot put some dairy cream to keep the pasts loose and not to make it sticky with each strands.
This way,if you cannot consume all the pasta,you can keep the leftover in fridge for next usage.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
13 Jun 11
I've read in the article that you can actually put in as much salt as you want. Not just a dash, mind you. It says to let it be as salty as it can be. The pasta will not be salty, but rather it will season it instead. I tried this technique and the article is correct. It added flavor to the pasta, indeed.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
15 Jun 11
My mother always added salt to her water when making pasta. So taking after mom I do so too.
My daughter says adding a tablespoon of olive oil in the water will keep the pasta from sticking together.
Not sure I never tried it. Old fashioned I guess and use the salt. I have never had sticky pasta though.
To top my pasta I like a good deep red rich sauce with hamburger in it. Or when serving chicken I make an white alfredo type sauce.
Unfortunately I don't get to make other often as my husband has diabetes and should not eat that much pasta. (And the canned version sure don't taste as good :-P)
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
16 Jun 11
I haven't tried putting hamburger on my pasta. I've had hamburger AND pasta side by side though.
We don't always cook pasta, too. Too much carbs.
But every time we do cook it, I always use wholegrain pastas. What would you recommend marie?
We don't always cook pasta, too. Too much carbs. But every time we do cook it, I always use wholegrain pastas. What would you recommend marie?
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
13 Jun 11
The water in my pasta would be too salty, I don't think I could. But under normal circumstances, where I would only put 2-3 tsp of salt in the water to cook my pasta, I think this is a great idea! Thanks!
@iklananda (1202)
•
13 Jun 11
Good tips then nice to try. I hope, i have enough time to cook and to do your trick there.
@beingwell (3625)
• Thailand
14 Jun 11
Yeap, then let me know what happens in case you've tried this technique. As for me, it went well last night. The pasta was cooked just right and it had it's own flavor, too.
