| While there are many ways for cooking Italian pasta, a | | | | Do not have oil to use, or cannot use it? Then try using |
| few offer the user a nicely cooked non-sticky noodle | | | | the cold water trick when cooking Italian pasta. What |
| to work with. In many of the dishes that the Italians | | | | you do is boil your pasta as usual. Then rinse it |
| make, noodles are used in conjunction with other | | | | thoroughly with cold water. This is can be tricky if you |
| ingredients. A sticky, starch ridden noodle is not only | | | | are making pasta as a main dish and want it hot. But |
| not as tasty, it is hard to work with, and not as | | | | what you are doing is rinsing the starch off the noodles |
| appealing to look at. When you are cooking you want | | | | so that you can easily separate them without breaking |
| your dish to not only smell and taste good, but to also | | | | them. This is a very reliable method in pasta cooking |
| look good too. There are ways to ensure that your | | | | for spaghetti and lasagna. These pasta dishes are |
| pasta is cooked right and can be used easily as part | | | | heated with sauces and other ingredients so the rinsing |
| of a dish or the main course. | | | | does not usually affect them. You do not need to rinse |
| Cooking With Oil | | | | the noodles too thoroughly. A quick rinse and stir with |
| When you begin to boil your pasta the best way to | | | | your hand in the colander usually does the trick and is |
| help make a great non-stick noodle is to add a | | | | enough to get the starch's sticky nature off the |
| tablespoon of olive oil to your water. Cooking Italian | | | | noodles. Most times this will only cool your pasta a bit |
| pasta this way ensures that when you are ready to | | | | and not make it too cold. |
| drain your noodles they separate easily and do not | | | | A Touch Of Salt |
| have a starchy build up. Noodles that stick together | | | | When cooking Italian pasta you will want to use a |
| can truly affect the dish you are making in a negative | | | | pinch of salt. The salt is not for flavoring and will not |
| way. Lasagna needs to have noodles that are not torn | | | | get into your noodles. It is to help bring your water to a |
| or bunched. If you have a huge build up of starch and | | | | quicker rolling boil. Salt helps to raise the salinity, which |
| try to separate the noodles for use, you risk | | | | lowers your boiling point of your water. This makes |
| destroying them and therefore destroying your dish's | | | | cooking faster and shaves off some time that it takes |
| presentation. The oil will not affect how the pasta | | | | to get the process going. Boiling water already takes |
| tastes or other ingredients that you add later. It just | | | | long enough, By adding salt you can cut that time in |
| coats the noodles finely to guarantee that they come | | | | half so you and your family do not have to wait too |
| out unscathed. | | | | long for that homemade Italian meal. |
| The Cold Water Trick | | | | |