2006-11-15 04:04:09 · 20 answers · asked by Jimmy K 2 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
Salt does not make the water boil faster. In fact it raises the boiling point of the water several degrees based on the amount of salt added and the amount of water being boiled. It therefore will take longer for the water to boil, but the water will be hotter. This really has no significant effect when you're cooking pasta. Rather, salt is added more for flavor, but the flavor is not very significant when you're putting sauce over your pasta anyway.
2006-11-15 04:11:30 · answer #1 · answered by Alleycat 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I have done that since I was a kid and I just think that the salt adds or intensifies the flavor of pasta as well as boiled vegetables too I might add. I also add some cooking oil to the water to which keeps the pasta from sticking together.
2006-11-15 04:13:38 · answer #2 · answered by COACH 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does flavor the pasta some (salt tends to enhance the flavor of foods,) it also raises the temperature at which water boils. It does not speed up boiling water, adding salt has quite the opposite effect.
Check out the link below, it shows the findings of a grade schoolers science experiment on this topic.
2006-11-15 05:42:19 · answer #3 · answered by jamesnjenifer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maximum recipes incorporate training to function salt to the water till now (or in some situations throughout the time of) boiling pasta. I surely have considered a brilliant form of motives which includes that the salt differences the boiling factor of the water (sorry; no longer adequate to depend) to the salt conserving the water from boiling over (no longer chemically possible). there is an argument for including the salt to augment the flavour of the pasta yet I opt to rigorously administration my sodium intake and the flavour of my nutrition. the version in pasta boiled in salted water and unsalted water is minimum and any distinction would be masked via a properly made and top pro sauce.
2016-12-14 07:43:03 · answer #4 · answered by zell 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It salts the pasta :)
I used to think it prevented the pasta from sticking together, but it turns out that a few drops of olive oil in the water do that.
Use both, and you're all set.
2006-11-15 04:15:07 · answer #5 · answered by carriebware 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe it only adds flavor. My friend Claudio, who's a professional chef from Italy, says that you must cook pasta in water that tastes like the sea....i.e. pretty salty. His pasta always tastes amazing, and the flavor of my pasta dishes has greatly improved since I've starting adding more salt to the cooking water. Try it out!
2006-11-15 05:53:49 · answer #6 · answered by ericak1234 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The salt affects the boiling temperature of the water. Here's a little experiment that was done to prove it.
Temperature of Boiling Water was recorded at 212.9° F.
1 spoon full of salt added. The temperature of boiling water after salt was added rose to 215.6°F
Next 2 spoon fulls of salt were added and the temperature of boiling water rose to 218.3° F
2006-11-15 04:11:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
adding salt to boiling water is the only time to flavor pasta
2006-11-15 04:31:03 · answer #8 · answered by Cheryl S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing the salt does is add flavor to the pasta, which is pretty tasteless without the salt.
2006-11-15 04:06:29 · answer #9 · answered by ~CountryGirl~ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually salt "seasons" the water (according to food network stars/chefs).
Oil just breaks the water surface to make it so it doesn't "foam" while boiling the water. I still get sticky pasta while cooking with oil. (foodnetwork stars/chefs)
2006-11-15 09:34:58 · answer #10 · answered by doom92556 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋