Testing and Draining Pasta

Pasta should be boiled until it is al dente - firm when bitten, but cooked through with no hard center or raw taste. It is the taste more than anything else which tells you when the pasta is done. If it is to be baked after boiling, take care not to overcook it. As soon as the pasta is cooked, either drain it into a colander or, using tongs or pasta forks, lift it from the water. If serving pasta hot, transfer it to a warmed serving bowl and toss it at once with butter or sauce as appropriate. Uncoated cooked pasta will stick together as it cools.