ow to Cook Pasta Perfectly

(Because You’re Probably

Doing It Wrong)
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The formula for pasta seems oh-so-obvious. Water + pasta = dinner —

right? But sometimes the supposedly simplest things prove to be the
trickiest.

It turns out the window for pasta perfection — not stuck together, and
neither mushy nor hard in the center — is slim. And then there are all
the other factors to consider. Should you add salt to the water? Or oil?
What about a cold-water rinse at the end?

If your head is spinning, take a deep breath and let go of the pasta panic.
We’ve assembled the best, and easiest, tips for cooking
excellent pasta every time.

Steps
1. Use a large pot
Pick a roomy pot that gives the pasta plenty of space to move around in.
This is a good time to call that eight-or 12-quart stockpot into action.
2. Load up the pot with lots of water
You want five or six quarts of water for a standard 16 oz. package of
pasta.

When you’re hungry and want to get to spaghetti time stat, you might be
tempted to use less water, so it boils quicker. Don’t. Just like pasta needs
a roomy pot, it needs plenty of H2O to totally submerge every strand.
Here’s a tip for making the water boil faster. Put a lid on the pot, but
keep it partially uncovered so you’ll hear when the water starts to boil.
Leaving a gap will also help keep the water from boiling over before you
turn it down.

Ever had a covered pot boil over? We have — very stressful.

3. Salt the water

Salt it good! Don’t just give a single tap of the shaker — you want at least
a tablespoon for 6 quarts of water. In fact, a chef we know uses 2
tablespoons of coarse salt for 6 quarts of water! You want it to be sea-
water salty. Not that we go around sipping the sea, blech.

But the salty water is essential because it boosts the pasta’s flavor.

4. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil

Again, don’t let hanger make you dump in the pasta when the water is at
a mere simmer. You want a vigorous boil. Remember, the pasta is going
to cool down the temperature of the water once you drop it in. To bring
the water back up to a boil more quickly, put the lid back on.

But the second you hear the water boiling again, take off the lid, and…