In the culinary world, very few dishes are as universally adored as perfectly cooked al dente pasta. Although, achieving the soft yet chewy texture isn’t as simple as you’d think. Balancing firmness and tenderness within the noodles can be a real challenge when you’re the one handling cooking, cleaning, and setting the table – all at the same time! Take a moment to nurture your boiling pot of pasta water, though, and you’ll see *just* how good al dente pasta can really be. Keep reading for some essential tips and tricks that will elevate your pasta dishes to new heights!
1. Use the right amount of water — and salt it!
Follow this general rule for boiling pasta: for every one pound of pasta, use five quarts of water. And don’t forget to salt it! Anywhere from one to two tablespoons will do. You also want to bring the water to a rolling boil before putting it in the pasta.
2. Avoid abiding by the suggested cooking time.
A lot of pastas will get sticky and soggy too quickly if they cook for the entire suggested cooking time on the pasta package. Aim to cook your penne, spaghetti, and bucatini for two to three minutes less than what’s recommended.
3. Stir, stir, stir.
Stirring your boiling pasta every couple of minutes or so ensures the pieces don’t stick together (or to the pot!), cooking them more evenly.
4. Taste the pasta as you go.
There can be some gray space in what al dente pasta truly means, or how to know when it’s reached that point. It can help to taste your pasta right before it's supposed to be done. You’re really just making sure the noodles have a significant bite to them, and that they aren’t overly chewy. The texture here will ultimately be up to your preference, but al dente pasta holds sauce and other toppings *so* much better.
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Header photo by Pixabay / PEXELS
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