Draining

If you drain pasta when you think it is correctly done, it will probably be overcooked when you get it to the table. You must drain pasta when you think it still needs a few seconds. By the time you have turned off the burner, carried the pot to the sink, poured the pasta into the colander, shaken it well, transferred it to the serving platter or bowl, and tossed it with the sauce, the retained heat will have cooked it just the little while longer that would have been required.