Boiling the Pasta

Appears in

Published 1993

Use a large pot filled with at least 6 quarts water for a pound of store-bought pasta, or 3 eggs worth of homemade pasta. Bring the water to a boil, add about 2 tablespoons salt then add the pasta. When cooking homemade pasta noodles, it is easiest to slide them into the pot from the towel they are resting on.
Stir the pasta right away to prevent it from sticking to the pot or itself, and to submerge long strands. Never break long pasta.
Cover the pot until the water resumes boiling then remove the cover and cook at a vigorous boil. Stir occasionally and, when the pasta begins feeling tender, begin tasting for doneness. The pasta is done when al dente, firm to the bite.
When the pasta is ready drain it in a colander immediately. Shake the colander a few times to allow all the water to drain. Never rinse cooked pasta. Rinsing chills the pasta and removes the coating of starch which helps sauce cling to it.

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