HOW TO MAKE A PASTA

Steps

1. 

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   1
   Choose which pasta you want to cook. Try to pick one that well suits the sauce. It's best to take the pasta that is a brand from Italy and is made of 100% durum wheat semolina.
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2. 

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   2
   Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with water. This will ensure that the water doesn't spill when it's boiling. Don’t under-fill the pot; this will make the pasta sticky. There should be a generous water-to-pasta ratio. To reduce your wait time, add hot water.
3. 

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   3
   Turn the knob on the stove to high.
4. 

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   4
   Add salt if desired. For a large pot of water, 1 or 2 tablespoons of salt should be sufficient.
5. 

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   5
   Wait for the water to boil.
6. 

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   6
   Add pasta to the water and stir with a long serving spoon. Take care that they don’t stick to the bottom, especially when you first add them.
   • Since it can be hard to estimate just how much pasta you need. Read the package for serving suggestions. If there aren’t any, read the Nutrition Facts for the number of servings per container and divvy up the dry noodles accordingly. If you’re cooking for two, a full package of pasta can usually make a full meal with leftovers.
7. 

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   7
   Turn down the stove slightly, continue to boil the pasta, and stir every so often to prevent sticking. Do not cover the pot; traditional Italian pasta is cooked without a lid.
8. 

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   8
   When it's been boiling for about 8-10 minutes (check the package for suggested cooking time), take a piece of the pasta out and allow it to cool.
   • Alternatively, under-cook the pasta by 2-3 minutes (the outsides should be cooked while the centers should be hard), then turn off the stove, set the pot on another (cool) burner, and cover for 10-15 minutes. This will slow-cook the centers of the pasta, making them al-dente instead of soggy.
9. 

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   9
   Bite into the pasta. If it's too hard to bite or if you see white in the center, it needs to cook a little longer. When it's cooked all the way through but still firm, it's ready. This is referred to as al dente (“to the tooth”) in Italian.
10. 

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    10
    Turn off the stove and empty the entire pot of pasta into a strainer. Tilt the pot away from yourself so you don’t get a face full of steam, which is even hotter than the boiling water.
11. 

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    11
    Shake out the excess water and then pour the pasta back into the pot. Be sure not to put the pot back onto the hot part of the stove, which can burn the bare pasta.
12. 

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    12
    Add a tablespoon of olive oil and toss (optional). While this will keep the noodles from sticking, it can also create a barrier between the noodle and the sauce you add, making the results less flavorful.
13. 

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    13
    Cover with your favorite sauce and shake it (inside the hot pot). See several recipes below for ideas.
14. 

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    14
    Add grated parmesan cheese, fresh parsley or basil leaves, or other garnishes as desired.