Pasta is one of the major highlights of Italian cuisine. Not only Italians consume it but also people from across the globe love this creamy soft textured food. This food is made by mixing wheat flour with water or eggs.
There are a lot of variations of pasta such as macaroni, radiator, fusilli, Gemelli, Rotini, etc. To enjoy these variations, you don't have to go to fancy restaurants. You can prepare them at your place. The first step towards pasta preparation is boiling it. So, here are the step-by-step guidance on how to boil pasta perfectly.
Ingredients To Boil Pasta
Once you plan to boil pasta at home, You need to gather a few essential ingredients to boil a restaurant-like pasta. Here is the list of ingredients:
Pasta
The first and main must-have ingredient is pasta itself. It's obvious that without this there's no way to pasta boiling. You can get a packet of pasta from your nearest grocery store or mart. There are a lot of options available for pasta in the market. You can choose any that you want to eat.
While choosing the pasta, look at the expiry date in the package. If the pasta has the nearest expiry date then choose the one that is recently packed. It's because the old one may have some bugs due to dryness. Eating these causes digestion issues.
Water
The second essential ingredient is plain normal water. You can also use hot water which will shorten the boiling process. Because the hot water helps to soften the pasta more quickly whereas the normal water takes a few minutes to get hot initially.
Salt
Last but not least Ingredient is salt. It is the most essential ingredient that is needed in any kind of dish. Whether to cook, boil, steam, or bake, this ingredient acts as a game changer in terms of taste. The salt helps to make pasta non-sticky and softens it quickly.
Equipment
In order to complete the boiling process, some of the ingredients have to be available. Here are they:
A large pot: The first equipment is a large pot which is needed to keep pasta and water for the boiling process. The reason for mentioning a large pot is to have enough space to place ingredients so that they don't spill during the boiling process. However, the size of the pot depends on the quantity of pasta you decide to cook. The larger the quantity, the bigger the pot.
Lid: One of the equipment not mentioned usually but plays a major role in the boiling process. Here, the lid should be in a size that should cover the open mouth of the pot fully. It's because a perfectly fit lid will not allow the air to flow into the pot resulting in boiling water faster.
Measuring cup: It plays an important part in determining the amount of quantity of pasta that you want to boil. In its absence, you may not decide the right quantity of pasta leading to either less or more in amount.
Kitchen stove: A kitchen stove that has options to adjust the flame has become very crucial in the kitchen. This will allow you to manage the temperature of water by reducing or decreasing the gas in the stove. As a result, it also helps in a faster boiling process.
Kitchen tongs or slotted spoons: This equipment is useful in taking out the pasta from the hot water after it's fully boiled. Besides this, it also helps to stir the pasta in between the boiling process to prevent the pasta from sticking to each other.
Serving bowl or platter: This equipment is needed to serve them when pasta is fully cooked. You can use a bowl or a platter to place the pasta from the pot. It's best to have a spacious bowl or platter so that you can mix the other seasonings and enjoy them comfortably.
Timer: A timer to remind you to stop the gas stove. This will prevent the pasta from undercooking or overcooking. As a result, it will minimize the hassle of boiling the undercooked pasta again.
How To Boil Pasta
Ingredients
Pasta: 2 cups of pasta
Water: 4-5cups of water
Salt: 1-1.5 tablespoons of salt
Instructions
1. Bring water to boil
The initial step is to pour 4-5 cups of water into the pot and place the pot in the burnt gas. Cover the open area of the pot with a lid and make sure the lid is tightly placed. Now, leave the water until it boils fully. To boil the water faster, you can increase the gas or flames.
Here, If you're planning to boil more than 2 cups of pasta, you can double the cup of water for pasta. If you still feel you need to put one more cup then go ahead. Adding an extra cup of water won't spoil the softness of pasta.
2. Add the salt
Once the water is boiled, add 1-1.5 tablespoons of salt to the pot. Stir the water slowly, the salt dissolves into hot water evenly. In this process, you can add any extra seasoning spices if you want for the taste. Now, let the water boil again.
3. Add the pasta
The third step is to add pasta to the boiling water. Be careful while pouring pasta into the hot water, you might get some burn on the skin. The added pasta will decrease the hot temperature of the water.
On the other hand, if you try to add pasta to cold water initially and put the pot on the gas stove for boiling, then the pasta gets stuck to the bottom surface of the pot. This will make them mushy. To avoid this thing, pasta is added to boiled water.
4. Boil added pasta
In this step, all you have to do is keep the gas flame on medium heat and boil the added pasta until it becomes soft and chewy. During this process, make sure to stir the pasta with a slotted spoon. It's because surface starches from the pasta start releasing which causes the pasta to stick to one another and become sloppy. This is why you should keep stirring the pasta frequently until they're cooked.
5. Check the doneness
Once the timer you set for the boiling time ends, check the pasta with a spoon. Take out a piece of pasta, give it a few blows to cool it down, then pinch it with your finger. If the pasta feels soft with not a single trace of hardness, the pasta is cooked properly. It's best not to leave the pasta to cool down in the pot without draining the hot water as it will only make the pasta overcooked or too soft.
However, if you can still feel a bit of firmness then boil it for a few more minutes, check again. Remember not to put the gas flames on high, as it only drains the water and the pasta will be still undercooked. So, maintain the medium flame throughout the process.
6. Drain and serve
This is the final step of the boiling process for pasta. Once, you're done determining the doneness of pasta, you can drain the water and serve them in a bowl or platter. Use a slotted spoon or tong to take out all the pasta from the hot water and place it in your preferred dish.
Now your favorite pasta is all soft and cooked. You can proceed with further recipes to turn them into delicious and creamy cuisine.
How Long To Boil Pasta
Various types of pasta are found in the store. With these variations, the boiling time also varies accordingly. Normally, thick pasta takes around 10-12 minutes. Macrorni, tortellini, penne, fusilli, rigatoni, orzo are some of the names for thick pasta. Whereas, the ideal time for stick or ribbon-like pasta is for 8-10 minutes. Pappardelle, spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, and tagliatelle are some of the pasta that fall under the category of ribbon-like pasta.
Besides the shape and size of pasta, the quantity of pasta also plays a major role in deciding how long to boil. If you have to prepare pasta for 8-10 people, you need almost 5-6 cups of dried pasta. Since the amount is high, so the boiling time will also increase. Usually, pasta gets fully boiled in 10-12 minutes. So, once this time passes, check the doneness of pasta with the help of a spoon.
Additionally, you can check the packaging of the pasta you bought. There will be written instructions with a step-by-step guide for the boiling process and time for each kind of pasta. You can also follow that for your ease.
Whenever you can't decide how long to boil any kind of pasta just do one thing. Get a slotted spoon, take 2-3 pieces of pasta, cool it down, and crush the pasta with the help of your fingers. If the pasta feels soft and easy to crush, it's ready for the serving. However, there are still crunchy and hard parts in it, then it's undercooked.
Tips To Boil Pasta
Here are some of the tips for boiling pasta perfectly:
Add oil or butter to pasta or water: Adding 2-3 drops of oil or butter helps to make pasta slippery as a result they don't stick together.
Check the package for boiling time: The information in the package will help you boil the whole process ranging from the pasta quantity to salt and water measurement. So, it's good to look for the written information if you have confusions.
Save the pasta-boiled water: The pasta-boiled water can be used later while preparing the boiled pasta.
Drain the pasta, not dry: You should not completely dry the pasta it will only make it sticky. So, leave some boiled water in the pasta that helps to absorb the added seasonings.
Boiled Pasta Recipes
Boiled pasta can be prepared in different ways to enjoy it further. It can prepared into spaghetti, creamy sauce pasta, lasagna, etc. Based on your preferences you can choose the recipes and serve them. Here are 5 ways to transform your boiled pasta into a delicious one:
1. Pasta in white sauce
It is one of the popular pasta items that is served widely. You can make this dish by using your boiled pasta. First, you need to gather some ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, onion, tomato sauce, salt and pepper, basil, and any other ingredients of your choice. Now, Prepare these ingredients all together, and add boiled pasta and sauce to the mixture. Cook it for a few minutes and your pasta in the sauce is all set to be served.
2. Homemade lasagna
Another savory dish prepared by boiled pasta is homemade lasagna. For this dish, you need to prepare the meat sauce with onions, tomato paste, bell peppers, and ground beef. After that, cook it for 20-25 minutes. Once the sauce is prepared, spread it on a platter, add pasta on top of the sauce, then add cheese of your choice and increase the layers.
After this, place the platter in the oven and bake it for around 25 minutes. Then the special homemade lasagna will be ready to eat.
3. Garlic butter corn pasta
The name itself shows the deliciousness of this dish. If you want to turn your plain boiled pasta into this buttery taste, then go no further. First, melt the butter in a pan and add 2-3 minced garlic. Cook it until the garlic starts to smell nice, then add 1 cup of fresh corn kernels and fry it for 3-5 minutes. Once the corn starts to get tender, add boiled pasta along with also add salt and pepper to taste. Stir it for a few minutes then serve it on a plate.
4. Mix sauce pasta
To prepare the mixed sauce pasta, you need to have some ingredients such as olive oil, 3 minced garlic, a cup of marinara sauce, and any pasta cream.
Start by putting olive oil in the pan, add 3 minced garlic, and stir it until it starts to get brown or golden. After that, pour a cup of marinara sauce and pasta cream, and stir them until they turn into a thick paste. Now, add boiled pasta to the mixture and cook for a few minutes. For seasonings, a cup of grated cheese add salt and pepper according to your taste.
The cheesy and creamy mix pasta sauce is ready to be served. You can enjoy this at lunch or dinner with your comfort drink.
5. Egg pasta
A unique blend of egg and boiled pasta that makes you drool instantly. Let's prepare the egg pasta. Place the skillet pan on the stove and add olive oil or any vegetable oil, then add 2-3 minced garlic and cook until it turns brown. Along with this, whisk 3 eggs in a bowl.
Here, before you add the pasta to a pan, you need to turn off the heat and add boiled pasta. The next step requires you to add a whisked egg over the pasta and stir it continuously to create a creamy texture. You can add a bit of pasta water to make the mixture more smooth. Sprinkle salt and pepper according to your taste and complete the process by garnishing top with grated cheese.
In any of these recipes, you can adjust the ingredients and seasonings based on your taste.