What is the easiest way to cook pasta for 120 guests?

Question

I'm having a youth fundraiser...120 plates...the main dish is pasta...I don't want it to turn out stiff or mushy...any help out there????

Answer 1

You want about 16 pounds of pasta (which will feed about 130 people) and about 3 to 4 107 oz jugs of spaghetti sauce.

The best way to cook the spaghetti is to get a VERY large pot of water boiling and add several tablespoons of Olive Oil (when we have our Pasta Dinner we use large turkey fryer pots with the propane tanks to get the water boiling - it usually only takes two potfuls to make 16 lbs pasta and takes about 1 & 1/2 hours). Cook pasta until ALMOST done - al dente.

Transfer to chafing dishes (with lit Sterno underneath) and add a bit more Olive Oil. The Sterno will continue to cook the pasta for a bit until you are ready to serve it. Also, the Olive Oil will keep it from getting stuck together.

Also, I get two packages of frozen meatballs (at Sam's or Costco they come about 120 to a package) and I heat them up with a bit of water. Therefore people who want meat with their spaghetti can grab 3-4 meatballs.

Buy yourself 3 three-pound bags of pre-made salad and buy two huge bottles of Ranch & Italian.


If you have anymore questions, feel free to email me through my 360 page. I have hosted Fundraising Pasta Dinners for the past five years, so it's old hat to me!

Answer 2

may be useful for next time: MAKING THE SAUCE: plain dull tomato sauce is to be made only in summer (otherwise tomatoes would be too watery) CARBONARA SAUCE: (here is a traditional recipe that should be a great expedient having in the fridge average British ingredients) for 4-5 people beat two eggs with much parmigiano cheese (2/3 spoonful), a pinch of salt and much pepper in a frying pan cook some bacon (a cup cut in small dices) in some oil paying attention in leaving it tender. as soon as pasta is drained but still steaming (this is very important or the eggs won't cook) throw pasta in the pot you have used to cook it (which will still be very hot) add the beated eggs and mix quickly until a creamy sauce forms. Now you can add the bacon and serve. To be eaten immediately. WHAT NOT TO DO mix pasta and eggs on the burner: you will get an "omelettish" dressing mix pasta and eggs in a bowl (to obtain the cream the mild heat of the used pot and of the steaming pasta is necessary, more would be harmful, less would be not enough) MAKING A GOOD PASTA "throw" pasta in MUCH boiling water previously salted -about 1l every 100gr dried pasta (every 3.5oz)- taste frequently pasta while cooking it, it must be not more than just cooked, it has to remain quite tough drain very well, thumping the colander several times on the basin "dress" pasta mixing swiftly and serve immediately (if you serve it less than steaming, it's to be thrown away)

Answer 3

I'd stick with pasta casseroles such as baked ziti and lasagne. If you want to have a spaghetti feed, then plan on one pound of pasta serving about 4 people rather than the traditional 8. Another idea is to mix your sauce with the pasta when it is cooked al dente and serve it directly to the guests as opposed to trying to ladle sauce onto individual servings. Add some meatballs and Italian sausage and you'll have a hit!

Answer 4

This is what I found:

The international standard serve is 100 grams of Raw pasta, per single person - if you are serving big eaters go a little higher say no more than 130 grams maximum- If it were me i would Measure 110 grams as standard serves raw, per adult and 80 grams raw, per child -That comes to around 10.8 kilos of pasta (24 Pounds)-You will need to cook pasta in advance- Roll into measured serves and place in trays in in fridge-

At serving time two or three pots of boiling hot salted water are ready with conical strainers- When the signal is given to start serving- Someone lays six plates down ,onto a bench, somemone is ready with ladel and hot pot of sauce and grated cheese/parsely- and one person adds two rolls of pasta in each pot of boiling water heats for a few seconds ,quickly drains and apply the serve to each plate-, sauce is poured , cheese it added , waiter comes and take away six plates at a time-quickly, by the time the waiters come back another six plates should be ready to take out immediately- so thats how fast you need to move-so that heat is retained in the pasta dish-

Makes sure plates are pre warmed to take the initial chill off them-( Pludge plates in hot tap water for a few minutes , 10 minutes before service and drain-) Plates should be flat and oval is preferred-or shallow bowls- if possible. This makes the serving look bigger than it is- Dont mix the Pasta and sauce together- Place the Hot pasta on each plate, and with a right sized ladel pour an amount of Hot sauce over the pasta - grated cheese - maybe a little chopped parsely, for decoration, and serve- six or even eight at a time-

www.chefdavide.freeservers.com

Answer 5

Baked pasta is easiest for that many. It is less likely to get mushy, since you can control how long it cooks, and it won't get dried out as long as you use enough sauce to cover all of the noodles.

This recipe for baked zitti feeds about 40. It is easy to make enough for 200, as long as you have to facilities to handle the volume.

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
9 lbs. ziti pasta
1 #10 can Contadina Spaghetti Sauce
1 1/2 lbs. ricotta cheese
12 oz. eggs, beaten
4 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 lbs. Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves

Combine Contadina Spaghetti Sauce and heavy cream; blend well. Pour creamy sauce over cooked ziti pasta; mix well and set aside.

Combine ricotta cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves; mix well. In each of two well-sprayed full steam table pans, layer 4 pounds ziti mixture and 8 ounces ricotta mixture. Repeat.

Top each pan with 1 pound mozzarella cheese.

Bake in 350-degree F. conventional oven 30-35 minutes, or 300-degree Convection oven 20-25 minutes.

Answer 6

I'm guessing you're making about 30 pounds of dry pasta. The best way is to use large pots, fill them with lots of water, and salt them to the point where they taste like sea water. Get them to a rolling boil. If possible get one of those spaghetti pots with the built in strainers, that way you don't have to wait for water to boil in between batches. Don't boil more the 5-6 pounds at a time because it will end up cooking unevenly and sticking together.

Answer 7

PASTA PUTTANESCA

1/8-1/4 cup pancetta, finely diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
5-8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 large can (approx 35oz) whole peeled Italian tomatoes
1 dozen oil-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
3 anchovies, finely mashed (optional)
2 tabelspoons red wine vinegar
a pinch red hot pepper flakes
2 tablespoons each fresh basil and oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (save a little for sprinkling)
1 bay leaf
Romano or Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling)
1 lb pasta, cooked according to package directions
salt and pepper, to taste

Note: If you don't have fresh herbs available, substitute 1/2 teaspoon each dry oregano and basil.
In a large skillet, sauté pancetta over low heat in olive oil until soft and translucent; bring heat up and allow to pancetta to brown slightly on edges.

Add garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, parsley and olives. Mash the anchovies well into the oil, using the tines of a fork. Tip: You can do this with the garlic after it's cooked, too, if you want to avoid having to mince them - just leave the cloves whole and mash them into the oil when they take on a little light coloring. Be careful not to let garlic brown or the oil with be bitter.

When garlic begins to take on the slightest color and herbs permeate the air, add the can of whole tomatoes (including the juice in the can). Submerge the bay leaf in the sauce.

Simmer over medium-low heat, with just the occasional lazy bubble surfacing for 20 minutes or so, until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Stir in wine vinegar during final 10-15 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, as sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

In a large bowl, combine pasta with enough sauce to coat. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if sauce is too thick, or a teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle pasta with a little fresh parsley and cheese before serving. (Remove bay leaf before serving).

Note: Always use a good quality wine vinegar, and don't substitute white or cider vinegar, although good balsamic vinegar or a full bodied red wine can be used for variation.

Chopped pork or salt pork may be substituted for pancetta, but with different (but still good) results.

HOPE THIS HELPS! ;-)

Answer 8

get a caterer