can you help me make my pasta last longer while serving?

Question

for some reason, when i serve pasta, i end up with such a small window of time where its right. if i serve it too soon, it usually isnt cooked all the way through, and it dries real quickly. if i cook it too long, the pasta is soggy and it breaks apart really easily, and again it dries up really quickly.

part a: how can i tell when my pasta is cooked properly?

part b: how can i serve it so that it doesnt dry out so quickly?

Answer 1

This is a problem.

There are several schools of thought regarding pasta cooking and serving:

To be sure pasta is cooked al dente, bite a noodle. It should be soft but slightly firm (not hard or crunchy) in the center. People have their own tastes so cook it to the texture you like. Just never cook it too long.

I also read a funny way to test your pasta (and I tried it!) is to throw a noodle against a wall. If it sticks, it's done. haha! My boyfriend was shocked when I did that!

Then, one chef insists that you shouldn't rinse your pasta. Just drain and then toss with sauce.

BUT...if you want to keep your pasta...you need to rinse it lightly. If you will keep your pasta for a while, you should toss with a light coating of olive oil to keep from sticking. Some chefs say if you coat with olive oil, the sauce won't stick as well, but you need to do this to prevent the noodles from sticking together. I also haven't found this to be a problem with saucing later.

After refrigerating pasta, I have rinsed the noodles in hot water until they come apart. Then, they are just fine again.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Test for doneness.
Bite into a few strands. If it is a little chewy, to the tooth, done.
"Al Dente", to the tooth. If it is too hard, cook a bit longer and try again.

Put a few drops of olive oil and few sprinkles of salt in the water before cooking. Oil prevents sticking together.

Do not run cold water over the finished pasta. Drain and serve hot with sauce. Sauce should be hot.

You might try serving in large bowls. Spread out on a plate cools faster. There are available "Pasta bowls", often used in Italian restaurants. These could even be pre-warmed in a microwave or very hot water, then cloth dried, not too hot to the touch.

Answer 3

Cook it in a generous amount of fully boiling water for the minimum amount of time on the package. Then take a piece out and bite it. Is it done? If yes, drain, if not, give it a minute or so more and check again.

Plenty of sauce will help it stay moist. But it's true, the window for pasta is rather small.

Answer 4

It more depends on the sauce. If you cook your pasta to perfect or aldente (slightly under cooked - overcooked pasta is never good) your sauce should keep it both warm and "wet".

Also, wrinsing the pasta under cold water after you have drained it can help. Adding a little butter or oil to the pasta after draining and before saucing can also be helpful.

Answer 5

Easy fix:

a) try some, or an old fashioned trick throw some against the cabinet. if it sticks, it is done

b) use olive oil when you boil the pasta, add a little bit of butter to the noodles (not too much) after you have drained the water.

Answer 6

Cook it til just barely undercooked and toss with a little bit of olive oil to keep it from getting dry. Pasta will continue to cook once it is out of the water, so it is important to undercook it just a little bit.