How to Cook Pasta

Pasta has to be cooked in plenty of boiling salted water - allow 1 litre (1¾ pints) of water and 1 tablespoon of salt for every 100 g (3½ oz) of pasta. Add the salt to the boiling water just before the pasta. It is also important that the pan used is large enough for the water to remain at a good rolling boil to ensure the pasta moves around as it cooks, helping to prevent it from sticking together. Because pasta exudes starch as it cooks, the amount of water used in relation to the pasta is significant. If there is too little water in the pan, it becomes clogged by the starch and the pasta does not cook properly.