|
Post by Baz Faz on Jul 13, 2020 11:17:36 GMT 2
When I cook pasta I put salt in the pan with the water, bring it to the boil, then add the pasta. However I came across this instruction today:
Put abundant water on to boil for the pasta, waiting for it to come to the boil before salting it.
So have I been doing it wrong? Do you wait for water to boil before adding the salt?
|
|
|
Post by auntieannie on Jul 13, 2020 13:23:04 GMT 2
That is how I have been taught, baz. I usually start the pan with a little water at the bottom of it and heat most of the water in the kettle. Add the water from the kettle to the now warm pan and wait for the lot to start boiling. Then be add the salt, then the pasta.
|
|
|
Post by sophie on Jul 13, 2020 16:02:50 GMT 2
Salted water takes a bit longer to bring to a boil.. only difference.
|
|
|
Post by slowcoach on Jul 13, 2020 16:42:23 GMT 2
I have cooked dried pasta in various ways and provided it ends up cooked, i.e. not tasting raw, and rehydrated e.g. not crunchy, and seasoned, it is mostly the same with just marginal differences. As to whether to wait till the water is boiling before adding salt begs a question: "Why boil the water?" unless you just got it out of a river or pond. Boiling is an enormously handy reference temperature indicator if you are going to time the cooking process, e.g. boiling an egg or pasta, but beyond a guarantee that the water is much the same temperature every time is it a necessity? Well no, I don't think so. But it is damned convenient.
Cooking pasta at a little cooler temperature makes a small difference, personally I think it makes a small improvement, others will doubtlessly differ.
"So if I don't boil the water when should I season?" is not a question I shall lose much sleep over.
|
|
|
Post by Baz Faz on Jul 13, 2020 17:50:35 GMT 2
Slow, I shan't be losing sleep over it either.
Like Annie I bring most of the water up to the boil in a kettle. I then add it to a large pan with a little water and the salt that I have brought up to the boil. I continue boiling the water fast as I assume it stops the pasta clumping. For the same reason I sometimes add a little olive oil.
A complication is that Mrs Faz has developed gluten-intolerance. I now use pasta made out of rice flour.
|
|
|
Post by auntieannie on Jul 13, 2020 20:34:12 GMT 2
My parents add cold water to the pan and wait. Usually, when I eat pasta that I've cooked myself, it's because I want a meal within 15 minutes of starting to cook it and it's been a long day and it's late. so bringing the water to the boil in a kettle speeds the process enormously.
|
|