Since the end of the 20th century there has been a notable increase in the variety and quality of whole-grain pastas available at supermarkets and specialty suppliers. Both whole-wheat and mutigrain products are available in a wide variety of common pasta shapes, from mass-market and artisanal manufacturers alike. These products vary in quality, with some approaching the texture of regular pasta while others are coarse and grainy. Whole-grain pasta tends to have a stronger flavor than regular pasta, demanding bold rather than mild sauces.
Step 1
Fill a pot with 6 quarts of water for every pound of pasta you need to cook. Cooking pasta in lots of water helps it cook evenly without becoming sticky. Whole-grain pasta is prone to stickiness, so the right amount of water is especially important.
Step 2
Boil the pasta longer than you would with conventional pasta. Whole-grain pasta can be unpleasantly chewy or gritty when cooked al dente. Cooked slightly softer, the graininess of the pasta is diminished.
Step 3
Serve the pasta immediately, once it's drained. Whole-grain pasta is prone to be gummy and sticky, and if it sits in the colander for more than a few seconds it will stick together in a mass.
Step 4
Sauce the pasta with robust, full-flavored sauces. These will stand up to the wheaty, nutty flavor of the pasta better than cream sauces or light oil and herb sauces.
Step 5
Toss the pasta with more sauce than you'd use for regular pasta. This will also help minimize the grainy flavor.
Tips and Warnings
- Brand is very important when choosing your whole-grain pasta. Try the brands offered in your supermarket to see which ones you like best. Keep notes for your own future reference. You might find that multigrain pasta provides a better texture than whole wheat, since the manufacturers can adjust the ingredients more readily to arrive at a good texture.
Things You'll Need
- Large pot
- Colander
- Sauce
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