I am having my family over to dinner for mothers day tonight and am cooking Greek Chicken over Pasta. But my pasta always sticks and dinner wont work right if it does. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I should do other than adding oil to the water? Thanks!
2007-05-11 04:38:05 · 27 answers · asked by Akima1023 1 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
Add olive oil and salt to the water. Cook pasta according to package instructions - al dente.
2007-05-11 04:47:25 · answer #1 · answered by ~Jenny~ 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Very important, use a big pot with more water than you think you need! Make sure it is as boiling as your stove can get it and don't think about putting the pasta in the pot until the water is jumping. Only turn the heat down enough to keep it from boiling over and stir, stir, stir!! Salt is good to add, oil is okay but I've heard it doesn't help the stickies.
Don't overcook till rubbery, leave some resistance (bite) when tested. Drain quickly, rinsing should not be necessary. A very light "sauce" treatment of olive oil, butter, fresh pepper, fresh garlic mixed in before serving cures some stickiness,
Serve as soon after cooking as possible! Timing is important! Don't let pasta sit around, it's real moody!
Good luck, have fun! I'll bring the cookies!
2007-05-11 12:11:21 · answer #2 · answered by Dopey E 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to have a large pan, one of the reasons pasta sticks is because it doesn't have the room to move around. So use the biggest pot you have and add plenty of salt to season. Make sure the water is at a full, rapid boil then add pasta, put the cover on pot only until it comes up to a full rapid boil again remove lid and stir pasta. Stir every few minutes to keep it from sticking. If you are going to add oil, do it after you drain the pasta. In an episode of Alton Brown's "Good Eats", he did a "mythbuster" show and he busted the myth on adding oil in the water for pasta, it doesn't keep the pasta from sticking because it sits ON the water not IN. Good luck. Any chance of a recipe for the Greek Chicken? I love Greek flavors! :o)
2007-05-11 11:47:44 · answer #3 · answered by foodieNY 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hint 1. Try to under cook the pasta so that it is al dente-firm to the bite. Over cooked pasta is mushy and sticks more.
hint 2. Add your oil to the drained pasta instead of just the cooking water. Toss them together to sit while you prepare the other finishing touches on the meal.
but hint 3 is the most important: Don't boil your pasta til the very last minute after everything else is ready to for instant assembly with the noodles and greek chicken ingredients.
2007-05-11 11:44:49 · answer #4 · answered by SayWhat? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are a couple of things that you can do. First, make sure you don't overcook the pasta. If it gets too done it will be gummy and really stick together. Second, you can rinse it hot water, that will help a little. Best thing to do is to not add oil to the water but add it to the pasta directly when it's done. Toss it with the pasta and you won't have any sticking problems.
2007-05-11 11:43:26 · answer #5 · answered by babyskeeter 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, don't use Martha Gooch pasta. It always sticks no matter what you do.
Second, skip the oil, you don't need it.
Third, stir it a LOT. And make sure you use plenty of water and keep it at a rolling boil. Stir stir stir. That way the pasta doesn't have enough time to congeal together.
2007-05-11 12:07:22 · answer #6 · answered by chefgrille 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
although oil is the best for having you rpasta not stick together, you could also be a wacthpot...by that i mean keep the pasta moving. after the water is a boil add the pasta and stir every minute or so, dont give it an oppurtunity to stick..but i would just add oil, its easier.
2007-05-11 11:46:29 · answer #7 · answered by jamie_south1 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
3 ways to keep your pasta from sticking together.
1/ Drizzle olive oil over pasta and mix well. You can add herbs during this as well.
2/ Once cooked, immediately rinse under cold water and drain.
3/ (IMHO the best option) mix with sauce immediately after cooking.
2007-05-11 11:45:16 · answer #8 · answered by Stanley W 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't use oil in my pasta either and this is what works for me.
Boil the noodles and stir them 2-3 times as they are boiling. Then add a little bit of cold water to the boiling water right before you drain it. Immediately add some sauce to the noodles and toss.
2007-05-11 11:51:24 · answer #9 · answered by star_lite57 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just make sure you keep stirring it. DO NOT ADD OIL!!!!! that could be some of the worst advice. Trust me, I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and i'm a pasta cook in an Italian restaurant
2007-05-11 11:56:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋