Best Way to Cook Pasta Ever!

[Lucysql]

The quickest method ever - saves water, electricity or gas, and time - AND produces perfectly cooked, al dente pasta!

Bring 3-1/2 cups of water (that's right, CUPS, not quarts) to a boil in a covered pot.

Add salt.

As soon as it boils, dump in one pound of dry pasta. Stir it in. You won't think it's enough water, but trust me, it is.

Replace lid and bring back to boil.

Turn off the heat. Leave it covered for the cooking time on the package.

Stir it once or twice during the rest period.

When done, drain in colander.

Then spray with Pam (to prevent sticking). Toss gently to distribute the Pam.

That's it!


Note: this works best with small pastas like shells or bowties. If you use long pasta like spaghetti or fettucine, you'll have to break the dry pieces so everything's submerged.

lucysql

[mtngoat]

Thanks for the tip - I'm going to try it!

This will be especially helpful while backpacking, where supplies of both fuel and potable water are limited.

[videofit]

Good to know. I heard that you don't have to precook lasagna noodles but just layer the hard ones with the sauce and cheese and bake. Haven't made lasagna in a long time so haven't been able to try it out.

I save gas by cooking my eggs and potatoes in a similar way. Put the eggs into cold water, bring it to a boil then turn off the heat and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes. You don't get a green ring around the egg yolk either.

For potatoes, turn off the heat about 10 min. before you usually do, when they are still a bit hard in the center. The residual heat will cook them. I found this out by accident when my cooking was interrupted and I turned off the heat.

Every little bit of savings helps in these inflationary times.

[mtngoat]

Originally Posted by videofit

Good to know. I heard that you don't have to precook lasagna noodles but just layer the hard ones with the sauce and cheese and bake. Haven't made lasagna in a long time so haven't been able to try it out.

<snip for comment>

Every little bit of savings helps in these inflationary times.

I have done that with lasagne noodles, and it worked fine. If I need to cut the noodles to fit a shorter pan, I simply soak the noodles in a bit of hot water (just to cover) until they soften up.

One less pan to clean, too! More savings of water/energy.

Thanks for the tips with potatoes/eggs, too.

[tytbody]

I hope I remember to do this the next time. I'm glad also it wasn't a microwave directions.

[Lucysql]

Originally Posted by videofit

For potatoes, turn off the heat about 10 min. before you usually do, when they are still a bit hard in the center. The residual heat will cook them. I found this out by accident when my cooking was interrupted and I turned off the heat.

Cool, good to know! I do eggs the same way you do, but didn't know it would work w/ potatoes too.

[Lucysql]

Originally Posted by videofit

Every little bit of savings helps in these inflationary times.

So true, plus we like pasta but I never cooked it because it took so darn long.

We've had it three times now cooked this way!

[DonnaMarie]

I also use the no cook lasagne noodles.. we eat much more lasagne than we did before

Here is the method I figured out for never boiling pasta on the stove again.

I use a large glass bowl, fill alsmost to the top and add some salt. I heat that in the microwave for five minutes. I put in my pasta and mic for two minutes. Then I stir the pasta to make sure it isn't sticking together. Now I cook it in 5 minute increments testing a piece for doneness. It usually takes 15 minutes for 1 1/2 cups of salad macaroni and most other pasta.

Strain

Husband doesn't like pasta al dente so I need to do it a bit more.