Pasta Basics

So awhile ago I shared how to boil water.  It got me thinking that there may be other basic skills that we have been lacking in sharing.  So on my days this week I thought I would share some of those basics and maybe after that once a week I will try to share a recipe that may seem obvious to some (boiling water) and new to those who may be moving out on their own or have always eaten out and are ready to cook at home!


Today I thought I would share how to cook pasta.  It something even the most experienced chef can mess up.


Todays basic comes from lifehacker.com

Cooking Pasta

Seasoned eater of foods, Adam Pash, gives his quick guideline of how he cooks pasta right now.

1. Boil water
2. Put in a little salt for more flavor (I did not know about this)
3. Stir and check every now and then until it's al dente
4. Strain

My method is about the same—probably a little simpler—so this is a decent place to start. It's how most of us do it already, and it's more or less "correct", but there are also a lot of little considerations to keep in mind along the way that makes a big difference.

Selecting the type of pasta

Chef Chris Whitpan prefers fresh pasta, but if you have to use dried for practicality's sake, he thinks Barilla is the winner. Chef Shaya Klechevsky agrees. If you're into alternative pastas like Chef Millie Barnes, you can try rice pasta, soba noodles and yam noodles. His current favorites are De Cecco or Ener-G Foods Rice Pasta. But as with soda and beer, there is no wrong choice as long as you're enjoying what you're putting in your mouth.