Cooking myths

[larry_stewart]

Amount of water ( for me) depends on type of pasta Im boiling. I always add salt ( just til it taste right to me, and if I forget, no big deal. I use a lot of water when doing long pasta, giving them room to ' swim'. so they dont clump up on each other. If a smaller pasta like bowties, ziti, elbows .... I use half the amount as Id use for the longer pasta. I never add any oil to the boiling water. The occasional stir keeps them from sticking together, and sticking to the bottom.

 

[Linda0818]

I'd never heard that before, using a ton of water to cook pasta. Maybe they mean it's best to overdo it than not underdo it? Because there have been times where I didn't put enough water in the pot and it boiled down too quickly and I had no choice but to add more water in the middle of cooking. Adding more water to a pot of boiling pasta is like dumping water on a flame; it instantly stops boiling, even if you add hot water.

 

[CWS4322]

The only benefit I can imagine to using a lot of water is that it would come back to a boil a little quicker after adding the pasta.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/05/how-to-cook-pasta-salt-water-boiling-tips-the-food-lab.html

 

[GotGarlic]

https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/05/how-to-cook-pasta-salt-water-boiling-tips-the-food-lab.html

That's a good article, thanks for the reminder.

 

[GotGarlic]

According to the CDC, the reason why modern hogs carry trichinella much less frequently is that their diet is strictly controlled. Trichinella is caused by nematodes and usually spread by animals eating other animals that are already infected with it.

 

[caseydog]

Salting the pasta water seasons the pasta as it absorbs the salted water.

Yup. The purpose for salting pasta water is about flavor, not boiling temperature.

On the other hand, adding oil to your pasta water is not a good thing, as many people do. It can actually coat the pasta, and make it less able to absorb your sauce.

CD

 

[Linda0818]

Yup. The purpose for salting pasta water is about flavor, not boiling temperature.

On the other hand, adding oil to your pasta water is not a good thing, as many people do. It can actually coat the pasta, and make it less able to absorb your sauce.

CD

I never add oil to the water. However, I do drizzle on a little olive oil once the pasta is cooked. Especially if I'm making a large pot of spaghetti or some other strand-type pasta. Otherwise we're pulling it out in clumps.

 

[caseydog]

I'd never heard that before, using a ton of water to cook pasta. Maybe they mean it's best to overdo it than not underdo it? Because there have been times where I didn't put enough water in the pot and it boiled down too quickly and I had no choice but to add more water in the middle of cooking. Adding more water to a pot of boiling pasta is like dumping water on a flame; it instantly stops boiling, even if you add hot water.

I don't measure my pasta water. I'm sure I use more water than I need. As you said, better too much, than not enough. Plus, it gives my pasta plenty of room to swirl around, so I don't have to do as much stirring.

I also don't do any math on the amount of salt. It is one of those things I have done so many times that I just know how much salt to pour into my hand to dump into the water.

CD

 

[taxlady]

In one episode of Pasta Grannies, one of the grannies said that the only time you should add olive oil to the pasta cooking water is with fresh, homemade pasta.

 

[caseydog]

I never add oil to the water. However, I do drizzle on a little olive oil once the pasta is cooked. Especially if I'm making a large pot of spaghetti or some other strand-type pasta. Otherwise we're pulling it out in clumps.

Are you putting your pasta on a plate, and adding sauce on top? That's what my mom did. The best practice is to move your pasta directly from the boiling pasta water into the sauce -- dripping wet. That is when the pasta is most able to soak up sauce.

That is also the reason for "al dente." When pasta is just a wee bit short of fully cooked, it can absorb sauce better. If the pasta does its last minute of cooking in a hot sauce, it will soak up the sauce as it finishes.

Never rinse your pasta. That coating of starch works as a binder between the pasta and the sauce.

CD

 

[caseydog]

In one episode of Pasta Grannies, one of the grannies said that the only time you should add olive oil to the pasta cooking water is with fresh, homemade pasta.

The only benefit I have found to oil in pasta water is that it reduces foaming -- which messes up your cooktop. But, you can also just use a bigger pot, so it doesn't boil over. I go the bigger pot route.

CD

 

[Linda0818]

Are you putting your pasta on a plate, and adding sauce on top? That's what my mom did. The best practice is to move your pasta directly from the boiling pasta water into the sauce -- dripping wet. That is when the pasta is most able to soak up sauce.

That is also the reason for "al dente." When pasta is just a wee bit short of fully cooked, it can absorb sauce better. If the pasta does its last minute of cooking in a hot sauce, it will soak up the sauce as it finishes.

Never rinse your pasta. That coating of starch works as a binder between the pasta and the sauce.

CD

I never rinse pasta

Sometimes we (my son and I) put the plain pasta on a plate and then add the sauce and other times the sauce is mixed with the pasta before it is served, such as when I make my One-Pot Spaghetti. That's a favorite dish of ours that we have at least once a month for a Sunday dinner.

 

[caseydog]

Oh, oh, you folks who are old like me will remember the food myth, "Wait an hour after eating to go swimming."

CD

 

[Kayelle]

After the pasta is cooked, I often reserve some of the starchy over salted water to finish the sauce.

Keeping that in mind, I under salt the sauce accordingly.

 

[Linda0818]

Oh, oh, you folks who are old like me will remember the food myth, "Wait an hour after eating to go swimming."

CD

I remember that one. My mom used to tell us that all the time. Said we'd get cramps if swam shortly after eating.

 

[Andy M.]

Oh, oh, you folks who are old like me will remember the food myth, "Wait an hour after eating to go swimming."

CD

Sorry, that myth is officially categorized as a swimming myth. It has no place in a food forum.

 

[caseydog]

Sorry, that myth is officially categorized as a swimming myth. It has no place in a food forum.

Oh yeah? Why, I outaa'....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBfhEpi77yQ

CD

 

[Andy M.]

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Linda0818]

I'll just... you know... slink over there in the corner ------>

 

[Cooking Goddess]

The only benefit I have found to oil in pasta water is that it reduces foaming -- which messes up your cooktop. But, you can also just use a bigger pot, so it doesn't boil over. I go the bigger pot route.

CD

If you put a spoon across the top of the pot, the spoon prevents boil-overs to a degree. Even out of the corner of my eye I can see two uneven, half-circle towers of bubbles rising above the rim of the pot. There's something probably scientific that would explain why breaking the foam tower as it rises causes the foam to not roll over the edge. I suppose it would overflow if I waited long enough, but I'm not testing my theory.