useless knowledge: how frequently do you stir pasta?

Question

I was cooking some pasta with my girlfriend, and we differed on our our opinion of how often to stir pasta. I said more frequently, because it helps make sure all the pasta gets roughly the same amount of time in hotter spots of the pan. She says less frequently because when you stir it's bound to come out of the water, which cools it off and delays cooking time.

What do you all think?

Answer 1

doesn't matter much. your reasoning isn't very good, because boiling water is in constant motion, and the heat is dispersed very quickly. there aren't really "hotter parts" of the pan if you're boiling it.

her reasoning isn't very good because the pasta won't be hurt from hitting the air, as long as it goes back under.

but I'd go with less, because I'm lazy and it works just as well as more.

oh yeah and stirring less means less chance for the pasta to break apart. so there's one good thing about it. every time you stir it, the pasta is broken or softened up a little. do it too much and you'll have a sticky gooey mush.

Answer 2

i only stir a couple times during the cooking process to make sure the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. beyond that, there is no purpose to stirring. If you have a big enough pot, and enough water, properly salted, you shouldn't have to stir it at all, except maybe to prevent sticking.

it has nothing to do with either point you or your girlfriend bring up. a boiling pot of water does not have cool spots...it is boiling. And while, yes, if pasta is out of the water it could cause a delay in cooking, but not becasuse it cools, but because it doesn't have as much time in the hot water.

Answer 3

How to Cook Pasta

Cooking pasta is easy, but how much water to use, which pot, and the right combination of pasta and sauce must be chosen carefully in order to prepare a perfect pasta meal.

Barilla has been making pasta for over one hundred and twenty five years, and we know the best ways to prepare pasta just like the Italians do. Here are some rules for enjoying pasta at its best:

Pasta should be prepared just before serving it.

Use a tall, large pot filled no more than ¾ with water. If there is too much water in the pan it may boil over, and too little water will not allow the pasta to cook properly.

Use a 6-8 quart capacity pot to prepare one pound of pasta.

The temperature of the water used to fill the pot does not affect the end result of the pasta and its performance. However, using hot tap water will allow the water to come to a boil faster.

Salt the water.

Salting the water brings out the natural flavor of the pasta.

Salt must be added once the water has started to boil. If the salt is added too late, it will not be absorbed correctly into the pasta. Adding salt too early may lengthen the boiling time.

Allow the salt to dissolve before adding the pasta.

If you are on a sodium restricted diet, please follow your doctor’s orders. Adding salt is optional and a matter of taste.

Add the pasta and quickly return the pot to a boil.

Pour in the pasta and increase the heat source to bring the water back to a boil.

Do not cover the pot.

Stir the pasta gently several times while it is cooking, approximately every three minutes. Barilla pasta is made so that is does not stick to the bottom of the pot, but it is advisable to stir the pasta so that it cooks evenly.

Do not add oil to the water.

Barilla’s use of premium ingredients to make our pasta guarantees the pasta’s superior quality and performance. When poor quality wheat is used, the pasta releases too much starch and sticks together. This is not the case with Barilla pasta.

Olive oil does nothing for the taste of pasta and its usage will make the pasta slippery, allowing the sauce to “slide” off the pasta.

Italians do not use olive oil when cooking pasta.

Follow the cooking times on the package.

For perfect pasta, simply follow the cooking times on the package, even though it is a good idea to taste the pasta just before draining to make sure it suits your taste.

Pasta has been cooked properly when it is soft on the outside, but the inside is still a little hard. In authentic Italian cooking, this is called al dente.

Drain pasta immediately after it is done cooking.

Drain pasta into a large colander and toss it gently to remove excess liquid.

The pasta should remain moist but not dripping wet.

Pasta should not be rinsed after cooking unless for a pasta salad recipe. The natural starches released from the pasta complement the pasta meal because they help “bind” the sauce that is to be used, and allow the sauce to adhere better to the pasta.

Always save a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water; it may be needed to dilute the sauce or in sautéing the pasta with the sauce before serving.

In Italy, pasta is usually undercooked in the water by about 3 minutes. Pasta is then transferred to a sauté pan with the prepared sauce, and then cooked with the sauce for the additional 3 minutes—allowing the pasta to absorb the flavors of the sauce.

Add sauce and serve immediately.

When pasta is drained it is still cooking. Therefore, the sauce should be added quickly.

Pasta should be served hot.

Italians use very little sauce with their pasta—just enough to coat it.

To finish the pasta, top with parmesan cheese, a little freshly ground black pepper or olive oil.

hope this helps. enjoy.

Answer 4

Firstly, be sure you add the pasta to the water only after the water is boiling furiously. Be sure to salt the water!

Do not cover the pot, and do NOT stir. The boiling action should cook the pasta properly. Ensure your pot is big enough for the pasta to roll around.

Stirring the pasta breaks the starches down, causing your resulting pasta to be sticky and gooey. Drain your pasta as soon as it is 'al dente' - just only a touch chewy. It will continue to cook when it is sat there in a bowl. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and toss the drained pasta to keep the noodles from sticking.

Answer 5

I stir my pasta about every 10-15 minutes. A watch pot never cooks and stirring too much too often can lead to the pasta taking even longer to coook. I'd have to agree with your girlfriend on less frequently, but with my theory.

Answer 6

Acutally I only stir the pasta once when it first comes to a boil.
A bit of oil in the pot will stop the pasta from sticking together.

Answer 7

Well, you did ask for an opinion and that is all I can offer, no facts or proof. I think you are both wrong in your theories and that stirring makes no difference in how long it takes to cook. It is only needed to keep the pasta from sticking together.

Bert

Answer 8

I stir mine once or twice until the water comes back to a boil. Boiling water is in motion so stirring is not necessary at all after it returns to a boil. In fact stirring will actually cool the water. Ever have milk start to boil up and stopped it from boiling over by rapid stirring?

Answer 9

Stir once in the begining to separate the pasta so that it doesnt come out a pasta ball. and again twards the end.
and then one more time if you are mixing in a pasta sauce.

Answer 10

I go with you.