Cook pasta properly

The pasta was freshly prepared and everything went well? Very good!

Here are a few tips on how to cook the pasta correctly so that nothing goes wrong in the last step

 

The most important thing right at the start:

Please cook the pasta in a lot of water. Use at least 1 liter of water per 100 gr. Semola.

This means that if you have processed one kilo of Semola, there should be 10 liters of water in the pot.

If you don't have such a large pot, then it's better to cook the pasta in two stages.

 

Add approx. 10 grams of salt per liter of water. Rather more, not less.

 

For normal pasta (unfilled): Bring water to the boil, then add it to the water.

If the pasta is filled, add it just before it starts to bubble up, so you avoid the pasta bursting open.

 

Once the noodles are in the water: Stir with a fork or wooden spoon to prevent them from sticking together.

And turn down the temperature slightly.

 

If the water boils too hot, colored pasta will bleed more and filled pasta will burst more easily if the water bubbles too hard.

Never completely cover the cooking pot; steam should always be able to escape.

 

Don't underestimate the fact that fresh pasta in particular quickly becomes al dente.

As soon as the noodles come to the surface, you should try the first ones. It usually only takes a few seconds and the pasta is ready.

 

I can't say much about the trick of throwing the spaghetti on the wall or ceiling as an Al Dente test, as I don't have any practical experience.

But experiment makes you wise, try it out and tell me.

 

The pasta can be drained into a pasta strainer.

 

However, if you are cooking gnocchi, ravioli or other filled pasta, do like the Italian mom and use a slotted spoon.

The slotted spoon also helps if you are pre-cooking lasagna sheets. Separate them quickly, otherwise they will stick together very quickly when they cool down.

 

It never hurts to reserve some of the cooking water; you often need it for the sauce.

 

It's best to add the pasta directly to the sauce and mix everything thoroughly. Alternatively, quench them briefly in cold water so that they don't stick together.

 

And if, despite all the tips, it looks like mine in the photo above:

Then take it with humor. When the pasta is ready, enjoyment is more important than a tidy kitchen.

 

Kind regards

Gisela