Pasta
Posted on July 29, 2009. Filed under: pizza | Tags: pasta |
Cooking Time : : 5 to 10 mins.
Preparation Time : : Nil.
Makes3 cups.
Ingredients
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2 cups dried pasta (penne, spaghetti, fusilli, conchiglie, fettuccine, macaroni, dried lasagne sheets) |
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1 tablespoon oil for cooking |
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1 tablespoon oil for tossing |
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1 teaspoon salt |
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Method
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| 1. |
Boil plenty of water in a large pan with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. |
| 2. |
Add the pasta to the boiling water by adding a few strands or one sheet of pasta at a time. |
| 3. |
Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally and gently until the pasta is tender. Cooking times may vary with the size and thickness of the pasta. |
| 4. |
Very small pasta (like macaroni, fusilli, cochiglie, penne) may cook in 5 minutes, while larger shapes (like spaghetti, fettuccine, dried lasagne sheets) may require 10 minutes. |
| 5. |
Immediately drain the cooked pasta into a sieve or a colander. Transfer to a bowl of cold water to refresh it. Drain again and keep aside. |
| 6. |
If the pasta is not be used immediately, add 1 tablespoon of oil to it and toss it. |
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Tips
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| Handy Tips : |
| The secret of cooking pasta is to use ample water. |
| Cooked pasta should be ‘al dente’ or “firm to the bite”. |
| Undercooked pasta is undesirable and has a taste of raw flour, whereas overcooked pasta will be soft and sticky. |
| Generally speaking, fresh pasta will take about 2 to 5 minutes to cook. |
| Fresh pasta does not increase much in volume whilst cooking, as it does not absorb much water. |
| DO’S AND DONT’S OF PASTA MAKING |
| The flour used should be of good quality. |
| Certain flours may require a little more oil to knead the dough than mentioned in the recipe. |
| When fresh herbs are to be used in the pasta dough, chop them finely. |
| If vegetable purees are used, the vegetables should not be discoloured whilst cooking and the puree should be strained before using. |
| The pasta dough should be firm and well kneaded. |
| Whilst rolling the pasta, care must be taken not to tear the pasta sheet. |
| Also, the pasta should be rolled out as thinly as possible to an almost translucent sheet. |
| While rolling the pasta, use cornflour instead of flour for dusting to prevent the pasta from sticking when it is cooked in boiling water. |
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