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Pasta - versatile and very delicious side dish, which anyone can cook... or almost everyone. Or rather, anyone who knows the intricacies of cooking pasta, as the Italians call pasta. There are not so many of them, so even a novice cook can figure them out and cook pasta so that they don’t stick together.
The main reason that pasta sticks together when cooked is not the skill of the cook, but the quality of the flour product.
This is interesting. The word “paste” has ancient Greek roots; until the 14th century, it meant flour into which sauce was mixed. But in the 19th century, pasta became our usual pasta.
Regardless of the type and name (spaghetti, shells, cobweb, etc.), there are 3 types of pasta.
That is, the higher the group, the less likely it is that the pasta will turn into an unappetizing lump. Therefore, the product of group A is preferable.
The second important reason is incorrect traditions: the habit of domestic housewives to rinse pasta after cooking is often the root of the problem. The fact is that Soviet pasta could really only be saved by washing it cold water after finishing cooking. But the modern market offers a wide selection of pasta made according to original recipe, which automatically puts a taboo on the habit of “travelling to Tula with your own samovar.” It is enough just to cook the pasta correctly so that it does not turn into a lump not only after cooking, but also every other day (!).
This is interesting. Sometimes cooks still rinse the pasta, for example, if the noodles or cones are an ingredient in another dish or the side dish needs to be slightly hard (chef Ilya Lazerson is guided by this very thing when rinsing the pasta after cooking).
The third reason is technological violations. In this case, we are talking about the fact that little water is poured for cooking, but a lot of pasta is poured in - how can it not stick together?! A secret will help you avoid this Italian chefs: per 100g of paste you need to pour at least 1 liter of water.
And the last most common reason is incorrect cooking time. The most ardent fans of pasta - the Italians - apply the “al dente” rule: you need to cook the products until the top layer softens and the inside of the pasta is dense, but not crispy. In this state, the side dish is removed from the stove and allowed to “reach” the desired condition for 2 minutes. If you let the pasta sit on the stove a little too long, the top layer will completely soften and, as it cools, the side dish will stick together into a lump.
Depending on the raw materials they are made from, pasta is divided into three groups
Secrets of choosing pasta
Based on the above, one of the most important factors proper preparation macaron is a quality product. When choosing a paste, you need to look at the color of the products. Initially pale grayish pasta of group B or C simply cannot acquire a different shade after cooking. And no matter how much you try to cook them, they will stick together. But the indication that the pasta is made from durum wheat (Italian: pasta di semola di grano duro) is exactly what is needed. More: quality product can't be cheap. In general, do you want to enjoy not only the meal, but also the cooking process? Don't skimp on quality pasta.
This is interesting. If the manufacturer does not indicate on the packaging the time required for cooking pasta, then you should not buy such a paste: a manufacturer responsible for its products will never miss such important point.
It is important to read the pasta cooking instructions on the package and follow them exactly.
What is important to do before cooking
Before you start cooking pasta, consider the following nuances.
This is interesting. Italians add oil to pasta not only during the cooking process, but also after cooking. Moreover, they prefer bitterish extra virgin olive oil.
Italians often add olive oil to pasta both during cooking and ready dish
How and how long to cook pasta so that it doesn’t stick together
Depending on what the pasta will be cooked in (in a saucepan, double boiler, microwave oven), the cooking method is different. Each option has its own subtleties.
In a saucepan
To prevent vermicelli, shells, and horns from sticking together after cooking, it is important not only to observe the nuances of choosing products, but also to prepare everything you need. To cook in a saucepan you will need the following equipment and products:
If the original length of the spaghetti is important, then you only need to stir and remove it with tongs or a long-handled fork
Instructions:
Pour water into the pan for cooking pasta 2/3 full.
The surface of the colander is rinsed with hot water, and then the pasta is discarded.
It is better to soften the butter before adding it to the cooked horns.
This is interesting. If you cook the side dish for 2-3 days, you don’t need to drain the water until the last drop: its remains will prevent the pasta from drying out.
How to properly boil pasta in a saucepan: master class from Ilya Lazerson - video
Microwave
This approach to cooking noodles and spirals will help out if the side dish needs to be prepared very quickly.
Instructions:
Microwave pasta tastes slightly different than stove top pasta.
In a slow cooker
Instructions:
When cooking in a slow cooker, add all pasta ingredients at once.
5 tricks for delicious pasta
Prepare delicious pasta, cooking pasta so that it does not stick together is not difficult if you know some of the subtleties of this process.
Ingredients:
- Pasta feathers (Penne)
- Refined sunflower oil
- Spaghetti
How long should you cook pasta?
How to cook pasta in a saucepan step by step instructions with photos:
Step 1
For work we need pasta (or spaghetti), salt, water, sunflower oil, saucepan, colander.
Step 4
Place salt in boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Wait until the water boils again and place the pasta in the water. Stir with a spoon. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid and reduce the heat. Stir again.
Step 5
Cook pasta until al dente. Taste the pasta while cooking to avoid overcooking it (check the package for cooking times).
Step 6
Take a look ready-made pasta in a colander, pre-low tide required amount decoction
Step 7
Return the pasta to the pan. Add the preserved broth and sunflower oil. Shake the pasta and cover with a lid.
We will need:
- Multicooker
- Colander
Ingredients:
- Pasta feathers (Penne)
How long should you cook pasta?
It’s hard to imagine a diet without pasta modern man. This versatile side dish is sure to be on the menu at least once a week. However, one often hears complaints that seem to experienced housewives about the pasta sticking together. At the same time, you rarely hear that they were undercooked, perhaps that is why the result is one sticky lump of dough - the pasta is cooked for too long, for fear of not being cooked enough.
How to properly cook pasta in a saucepan so that it doesn't stick together
You should immediately understand that to cook pasta you need a pan. You cannot cook this product in the microwave, in a slow cooker or, God forbid, in a pressure cooker! Any pasta, regardless of type and variety, needs constant stirring, otherwise it will stick together as soon as it is placed in a pan of water. And, by the way, they are dipped exclusively in boiling and salted water.
How long to cook pasta
It only takes a few minutes to cook the pasta (depending on the size):
The noodles are cooked for 5-7 minutes; “bows” will be ready in 10 minutes; It will take about 12 minutes to prepare the “tubes”; The “horns” take the longest to cook - 15 minutes.
How to cook pasta in a slow cooker step by step instructions with photos:
Step 2
Pour water into the multicooker bowl and add salt. Turn on the multicooker to the “Steam” mode and set the time to 10 minutes. Time may vary depending on the type of pasta and manufacturer).
We will need:
- Microwave dishes
- Colander
Ingredients:
- Pasta feathers (Penne)
How long should you cook pasta?
It is difficult to imagine the diet of a modern person without pasta. This versatile side dish is sure to be on the menu at least once a week. However, we often hear complaints from seemingly experienced housewives that the pasta is stuck together. At the same time, you rarely hear that they were undercooked, perhaps that is why the result is one sticky lump of dough - the pasta is cooked for too long, for fear of not being cooked enough.
Greetings! Instructions on how to properly cook pasta so that it doesn't stick together. What to do and in what order, and what not to do. This information will be very useful for you!
How to do it right
Take a pan and fill it with water: for 100 g of pasta – 1 liter of water. If you add less water, the pasta will turn out sticky. For one serving, as a rule, you need 100 g of pasta. Those. for a family of three you need to cook 300 g of pasta in a 3 liter pan.
Dip pasta only into rapidly boiling salted water. The fire under the pan should be maximum. Immediately after this, cover the pan with a lid for 30 seconds so that the water begins to boil again. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove the lid and reduce the heat (this must be done quickly, otherwise you may flood the stove).
To prevent pasta from sticking together, you need to follow two principles.
First, stir the pasta immediately after adding it to the boiling water to prevent it from sticking together. initial stage cooking. This should be done for a minute or two until the outer layer of pasta is cooked. After this, they will no longer stick to each other; they can be left to cook quietly.
The second important principle: do not overcook the pasta. They need to be cooked exactly as long as indicated on the package. If you overcook the pasta, it will stick together when it cools.
How wrong
There is an opinion that pasta will not stick together if you add sunflower or olive oil to the water. It is a myth. Pasta is boiled in the depths of water, and vegetable oil is collected in a thin film over its surface. They do not come into contact with the oil in any way.
There is no need to rinse pasta with cold water after cooking. This Soviet tradition, due to the fact that housewives might not trust the quality of flour. If you rinse pasta after cooking, it will become tasteless.
If we are preparing pasta with some kind of sauce, for example, tomato or cream, then after the water has been drained, the hot pasta should be immediately added to the sauce and stirred.
Pasta that is prepared for salads can be drizzled with olive oil. It will coat the pasta in a thin layer and prevent it from sticking together.
If the pasta is to be eaten hot immediately, you can add butter and sprinkle with sugar or cheese. For pasta that will be refrigerated, butter is not suitable: it will become tasteless when it cools.
What else you should not do:
- Save on quality. Alas, in this case, quality does not come cheap. It's better to buy pasta from durum varieties wheat.
- You cannot add salt to the dish during the cooking process. The water is salted before the pasta is put into it.
- Do not put pasta in a pan in which the water reaches the edge - you can flood the stove.
- There is no need to rinse cooked pasta with cold water. Chilled pasta is not tasty.
Bon appetit!
Why is pasta either undercooked or, conversely, sticks together, becomes overcooked, sticks to the pan and loses its attractiveness? appearance? To avoid this situation, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to properly cook pasta.
For many, pasta is the first step to weight gain. However, in Italy this dish is consumed daily, along with various sauces and gravies. And yet, Italians look great.
The secret lies in the quality of the pasta. The most useful pasta is the one made from durum wheat.
It contains a large number of nutrients and vitamins:
- cellulose;
- amino acids;
- potassium, iron;
- complex carbohydrates;
- vitamins B, E;
- phosphorus;
- manganese.
What types and varieties of pasta are best to choose?
Products marked “group A” are most valued. There may also be groups B, C. In this case, in all cases it can be used premium flour.
In the homeland of pasta, there are several varieties of pasta in shape:
- long (noodles, spaghetti, spaghettini, tagliatelle, etc.);
- short (fusilli or spirals, pene are tubes, cannelloni, etc.);
- small for soups (stelline - stars, anelli - rings, ditalini orecchiete);
- figured (farfalle, conchiglie, gemelli, campanelle, gnocchi, etc.);
- filled pasta (capeletti, tortelloni, agnolotti, etc.).
It doesn’t really matter what kind of pasta you take: small, large, long, nests.
The main signs quality products are:
- the surface must be smooth;
- all elements must be the same;
- the color should be uniform cream or light yellow;
- small black dots - remnants of ground wheat grain shells, which are beneficial for the body, should be present in small quantities;
- the pack should not contain flour or broken paste elements.
Recommendations: how long should you cook so that they don’t stick together?
How long to cook:
- noodles - 5-7 minutes;
- nests - 5 min;
- tubes - 13 min;
- horns - 10-15 minutes;
- lasagna sheets - 5 minutes until half cooked;
- fettuccine - 10 min;
- ravioli - 3-7 minutes depending on the filling;
- bows - 10 min;
- spaghetti - 8-9 min.
Correct ways to cook pasta
- Take a suitable pan, pour in water, and put it on the fire. It is not recommended to take the next step until the water boils.
- You need to salt the water only after boiling. Otherwise, the diffusion reaction will not take place to its full extent, which may lead to the pasta sticking together.
- Add pasta to boiling salted water. It is recommended to reduce the heat, but the water should boil throughout the entire cooking process.
- Cooking times are recommended depending on the shape and type of pasta.
- To check the readiness of the product, it is enough to catch one or two elements and check for softness.
- After this, take a colander and drain the pasta onto it.
- It is recommended to rinse the product under running water cold water. This will wash away any remaining starch.
Quick cooking method in 4 minutes
Unlike the usual way, this one differs not only in capacity, but also in time. For cooking you will need a deep frying pan and only 4 minutes.
The paste is poured into the selected container and fried over the fire until browned. Next, add 30-40 g of butter, other ingredients as desired (for example, tomato paste, tomatoes, chicken fillet and so on.).
Boiling water is added to the pasta until the liquid covers the pasta. Spices and salt are added. Set the fire to low, cover the pan with a lid and simmer until the liquid evaporates.
The advantage of this method is that you can immediately add chicken fillet, vegetables and other ingredients along with the pasta.
Cooking method with milk and water
Pasta with milk is one of children's favorite dishes. This dish is easy to prepare:
- Pour water into a saucepan (at least 2.2-2.5 liter capacity) and bring to a boil.
- After this, the liquid is salted and the paste is added.
- Cook for 7-15 minutes, depending on the shape.
- The water is drained and the pasta is placed in a colander.
- Add milk to the saucepan and heat it up.
- After that. boiled pasta is added to the milk.
- Add sugar and bring the liquid to a boil.
- After boiling, turn off the fire and add a small amount of butter (25-35 g).
For recommendations on cooking pasta to prevent it from sticking, watch the video.
Features of cooking whole grain products or spaghetti
When cooking pasta, it is worth remembering that recommendations may vary depending on its form and purpose (in what dish it will be used). It is worth taking note of the following tips:
- Spaghetti is cooked without a lid. They are laid out in a pan in a fan. Then, after a minute, they themselves will sink completely under water. If the pasta is too long, it is best to break it in half.
- The nests are carefully placed in boiling water in a frying pan or saucepan. It is important to ensure that they do not touch each other. At the same time, it is worth remembering that they will need to be turned over during the cooking process, which means there must be enough space for this. The nests are not thrown into a colander, but laid out using a slotted spoon.
- Horns, spirals and shells are boiled approximately 7-9 minutes after the water boils.
After the time has passed, it is important to check readiness. If the paste is soft and elastic, then it is ready.
- Al dente pasta.
To obtain this result, the cooking time must be reduced by 20-30%.
- The web is placed in boiling salted water and the heat is turned off almost immediately.
Cover the pan with a lid. After 10-15 minutes the pasta will be ready. It can be placed in a colander and served.
- You can cook whole grain pasta in the same way as regular pasta. The cooking time after boiling is 7-9 minutes. To prevent them from sticking together, you can add a small amount olive oil.
“Tools” for cooking: saucepan, microwave, multicooker
When cooking in a saucepan, it is important to ensure that the paste does not stick to the walls and bottom. To do this, you need to stir the pasta during cooking or add a small amount (20-30 g) of butter (or olive).
To cook in the microwave, you need to pour the pasta into a deep plate, add boiling water, with a margin of 1-2 cm above the top level of the pasta. Then 1 tbsp. l oil, pinch of salt. The container is covered with a plate. Power - 800 W, time - 5 min. After the expiration date, the paste is placed in a colander.
To boil in a multicooker, you will need the “Pilaf” or “Steam” mode. Place pasta in a bowl, add a spoonful of butter and add water. The liquid should be 1-2 cm higher. The cooking time in this case is 12-13 minutes.
Take note
When cooking, constant stirring is recommended, since starch will come out of the pasta during cooking, which helps the pasta stick together. Frequent stirring prevents the pasta from becoming sticky and from burning.
Washing pasta is done if it is made from soft varieties wheat.
If the paste still sticks together, you can correct the situation. To do this, after washing the product, add a small amount of oil.
If you know about the features of selection and cooking various types pasta, its preparation will be a simple and enjoyable process. Moreover, it can be used to prepare interesting dishes, the taste of which can be varied by adding sauces, vegetables, and herbs.
“so that the smallest cook can prepare lunch or dinner for himself, and if necessary, feed the whole family: parents, sister or brother. I'll teach you how to cook the most simple dishes, which do not require special culinary skills, and if the cooking process captivates you so much and you want to cook something more complex, for example: then my step by step recipes The photos will help you with this. And remember, you can always ask any question that worries you, to which I will try to give a very detailed answer. So, today we cook pasta in a saucepan.
Cooking pasta in a saucepan is very simple, the most important thing is to follow certain rules and observe a strict quantitative ratio of pasta and water: for about 1 liter of water you need 100 g of pasta = half a regular 200 ml glass)! You can safely add a little more water, but a lack of water will cause the pasta to stick together, especially if it is not of particularly good quality.
Ingredients:
- 100 g pasta
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 liter of water
- piece of butter
Inventory:
- saucepan with lid
- spoon
- colander or sieve
- plate
Step-by-step instruction
« How to cook pasta in a saucepan":
Step 1. Prepare pasta, water, vegetable oil, salt and butter.
Step 2. Pour water into the pan, cover with a lid and put it on the fire. Wait for the water to boil.
Step 3. When the water boils, add salt to taste (10 - 12 g per liter of water = one teaspoon) and 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if you don’t have olive oil on hand, any other vegetable oil will do) - this will prevent the pasta from sticking.
Step 4. Place pasta in a saucepan of boiling water. Do not cover the pan with a lid! Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. After adding the pasta, the water will stop boiling. Cover the pan again with a lid so that the water boils again, then remove the lid and reduce the heat, otherwise foam may appear.
Step 5. Cook the pasta for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, follow the cooking directions on the package. Manufacturers usually indicate how long it takes to prepare pasta.
Step 6. 2-3 minutes before readiness, taste the pasta on a tooth – it should be soft, without a floury aftertaste. When the pasta is ready, drain it in a colander and rinse with hot boiled water.
Step 7 Artistically stir the pasta on a platter or plates with butter, decorate with sauce, herbs, grated cheese, pieces of meat, cutlets, meatballs - whatever comes to hand, as you wish.
Additional tips:
- Choose pasta only from durum wheat.
- don't skimp on water when you cook pasta, excess water You can always drain it after preparing a dish, but if you suddenly don’t have enough of it, the pasta will stick together and turn into a real porridge!
- Only throw pasta into boiling water.
- Many chefs do not recommend rinsing the pasta with cold water, but rather immediately mixing it with hot sauce or butter.
- Stir the pasta only a couple of times during cooking, otherwise it may simply fall apart and lose its shape.
Below I indicate the approximate cooking time for various pasta products:
- horns – 10-15 minutes
- penne (tubules) – 10-15 minutes
- fettuccine – 10 minutes
- farfalle (bows) – 10 minutes
- ravioli – 3-7 minutes
- noodles - 5-7 minutes
Bon appetit!
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