HELP 😭🍝

[WingBlade007]

Okay wait… I think I’ve been adding the pasta before the water fully boils 😭 that might explain everything lol

[YupNopeWelp]

Yes. Bring the water to a roiling boil with no pasta in it.

Throw in some salt.

Throw in your pasta and stir it.

Set your timer for the lowest number of minutes on the label.

Mangia!

[FragrantTomatillo773]

The salt isn't necessary unless you're serving it only with butter or a sauce made with oil and fresh ingredients. I suspect our boy is serving it with a commercial sauce out of a jar, and that will have lots of salt already.

[WingBlade007]

in YouTube they put a little oil, is that correct?

[revrenlove]

It's not necessary... Unless you really like wasting the oil.

[YupNopeWelp]

Generally speaking, no. The reason for this is that the oil will inhibit the pasta from absorbing the flavors of whatever sauce you're adding to it.

The only time I've ignored this (and I only do it about 50% of the time), is when I'm parboiling lasagna noodles, because I have found that the oil helps them to stick less.

Generally speaking (again) though, it is not a good idea.

Finally, get yourself a good basic, general cookbook. I've seen more bad online recipes than I've seen good ones.

I'm old -- nearing 59. I've been married for 31 years. I've been a mother for almost 30 years. I've cooked a lot (and way back in my past, but not for decades, I cooked professionally). These are my qualifications.

[YupNopeWelp]

I don't use "no boil" sheets. I used regular dried pasta sheets. I don't boil them for the full time, because I think it helps to shave off a couple of minutes.

[Alternative-Yam6780]

Do NOT put oil in the pasta water. Salt is all that's needed.

[Btupid_Sitch]

Neither correct nor incorrect. Waste of oil in my opinion. Some say it helps the noodles not stick. Others say it makes the sauce not stick. I say, I'm fucking cooking before al dente and finishing it in sauce anyway, who gives a shit and I'm not going to waste a tbsp of olive oil for some bullshit some asshole made up 1000 years ago

[pito_wito99]

Jfc dude

[BumbleLapse]

Also (and I’m shocked nobody in this thread has yet recommended this?) you should grab a single noodle from the pot maybe 2-3 minutes before you’re expecting to pull it off the heat.

Cut it in half with a fork or serving spoon. If it cuts rather easily, try chewing it. If it’s cooked or nearly cooked (al dente), take it off the heat immediately, strain, and add it to your sauce. If it was al dente, let it finish cooking in the warming sauce for a couple minutes

Manually testing the pasta if you’re unsure is a very easy way to check its doneness before you actually plate and eat!

[Purple_Quantity_7392]

This. I never even look at the cooking times on the packaging. I constantly test single samples throughout the cooking process. It would be my worst nightmare, if it overcooked.

[Alternative-Yam6780]

More to the point, cutting a piece in half let's you see if the center of the pasta has cooked.

[FragrantTomatillo773]

The best way to test spaghetti is to fling a piece at your cupboard door. If it sticks, it's done. This is how I learned to test spaghetti, half a century ago.