Leaving lid on during boiling spoils pasta??

[seans_potato_business]

From some cooking website: "Fill a large saucepan with water... Add the pasta and stir it once. Keep the heat high so the water stays boiling but leave uncovered."

How does leaving it uncovered help? I think that's a waste of energy. I don't even think it needs to boil. Simmering just below boil with the lid on should lead to the same result. I defy anyone who claims they can taste the presence/absence of the lid during boiling!!

[quicksilver]

After pasta is put in the pot of salted water, I sti. But also stir from time to time to make sure it doesn't stick. And I never cover. I do lower temp to between boil and simmer just because it would boil over, if I didn't
It boils over every time with lid on.
No big deal.

[Alix]

It doesn't have as much to do with the end result as it does with avoiding mess. Pasta that is covered will boil over.

And you are correct it SHOULD work either way. The reality is though that you end up with a better finished product if you do it boiling and fast finish than with simmering because you can't always catch the pasta at the al dente point if you are simmering. You're more likely to end up with a squishy mess of inedible glue.

[bowlingshirt]

I boil pasta without a cover in the winter to help warm and humidify my kitchen.

[GB]

The reason for putting a lid on the pot is to get it back up to boiling faster after you add the pasta. This is a step I never do.

I use a very large pot with a lot of water. The water temp rebounds very quickly this way. I also avoid boil overs this way.

If you do not use enough water than you will have a boil over. If you use enough then you will not.