Cooking plain pasta is a quick and easy way to offer a side dish or the basis for a simple meal. Pasta requires boiling, and while there are microwave versions available, pasta cooked in a pot of boiling water retains the most authentic texture and flavor. It's not difficult to cook plain pasta, though the timing can be tricky if you're a beginner. It's very important, when making plain pasta, not to overcook it so that it doesn't become flavorless and limp.
Step 1
Fill a pot approximately two-thirds full of water. Make sure that the pot is large enough for the pasta to move around freely so that it doesn't stick together while it cooks. Utah State University Cooperative Extension recommends 4 qts. of water for every 1 lb. of pasta, so make sure you use a pot large enough to keep the pasta from boiling over.
Step 2
Bring the water to a boil. Boiling means that all of the water in the pot is rolling around. If you just have a few bubbles rising from the bottom of the pot, the temperature is still too low. Putting the pasta in now might make it turn gluey.
Step 3
Add the pasta to the boiling water. Use a long-handled spoon to gently stir the pasta around. Pasta tends to stick to itself, and you don't want to end up with one giant noodle.
Step 4
Set the timer. The thinner the pasta, the less time it takes to cook it. Fresh, very fine angel hair pasta can cook in as little as two to three minutes, while corkscrew pasta, fettuccine and large shells can take as long as 15 minutes or more. Whole wheat pasta and flavored pasta can also take longer to cook than white-flour pasta, so check the label on the pasta package for suggested cooking times to be sure.
Step 5
Check the pasta for doneness when the timer goes off. Pasta should be firm, but not at all crunchy or too chewy. If it's not quite done, turn the water off and let it sit for a minute or two rather than overcooking it. According to Shauna James Ahern at Epicurios.com, gluten-free pasta goes from al dente -- which is firm but done -- to overcooked in a matter of seconds, so be especially careful when making wheat-free noodles.
Step 6
Pour the pasta into a clean colander in the sink. Pasta sometimes spurts out of the pot in one large clump, so be careful not to get splashed with boiling water. Gently swirl the pasta around and shake it to remove all excess water. A mesh strainer works best, especially for very fine pasta like angel hair or vermicelli.
Step 7
Rinse the pasta with hot -- never cold -- water to remove any excess starch. This also helps keep the pasta from sticking together without adding the calories that tossing it with oil would.
Tips and Warnings
- Toss hot, plain pasta with olive oil to keep it from sticking together when reheating it.
- Never put uncooked pasta into cold water and then bring it to a boil, or it will stick together and get mushy.
Things You'll Need
- Pot
- Water
- Pasta
- Timer
- Colander
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