Most dried pasta doubles in
volume when cooked. For accuracy, measure pasta by weight. Cooked pasta
can be measured by volume. The general rule is one pound of dry pasta or
freshly made pasta will serve six as an appetizer or four as a main
course.
Cooking Pasta
Use at least one quart of
water for every four ounces of dry pasta. Bring water to a fast boil.
Add the pasta all at once to the boiling water, and keep the heat high
to bring the water back to the boil as quickly as possible.
When to put in the water
Pasta added to water before it
starts to boil gets a heat start on mushiness. Pasta quickly begins to
break down in tepid water as the starch dissolves. You need the intense
heat of boiling water to "set" the outside of the pasta, which prevents
the pasta from sticking together.
Serving pasta
To get the most out of your
pasta, use a fork and spoon to quickly toss with sauce when served.
To avoid mushy and sticky
pasta
Avoid adding before it starts
to boil. The starch in pasta breaks down faster in cooler water and
using boiling water sets the outside of the pasta.
