OMG really quick guys!!

This can be deleted in a few minutes...

I JUST need to know WHEN are the spaghetti noodles DONE?! How can I tell?! Im making spaghetti now, but the noodles are almost done I think...

How can I tell??

hurry!!

Pick one out of the water and eat it. Well, let it cool a little first. Seriously, it depends on how you like your noodles. I like mine al dente, Earl likes his overcooked...

Or the old standby - throw one at a wall and if it sticks it's done!

Originally Posted by valanhb

Pick one out of the water and eat it. Well, let it cool a little first.

Seriously, it depends on how you like your noodles. I like mine al dente, Earl likes his overcooked...

Or the old standby - throw one at a wall and if it sticks it's done!

Click to expand...

Ok, I threw it at the wall..(which was really fun BTW THANKS. )
ANd it stuck, but then I tasted one, and it was a little hard yet. So maybe another couple minutes?

Just a couple of minutes... check them again. Noodles tend to overcook quickly so you have to be on top of it

I'm sure they're done now, but for future reference you take one out of the water and let it cool till you can eat it, and then you bite it and look at the inside. There should be a tiny, thread-sized circle of white and the rest of the pasta should be darker. This works with any pasta. This means its "al dente" which is what you want, as everything continues cooking after you turn off the heat! Throwing it against the wall only tells you if the starches on the outside have begun breaking down, and by the time it really sticks you've overcooked it.

Lol! Ok well when I was telling you how much fun it was throwing the noodle on the wall, my sauce was turning into a volcano type eruption. Big bubbly bursts of Red Sauce. lol. Sauce everywhere! lol. But that was fun too.

Learning to cook is GREAT! Just lots of cleaning to do now.

Thanks for the help. This can be deleted now if needed. Just needed some quick advice, and ONCE AGAIN TCS pulled through!

i tell you the best way to cook spaghetti or any sort of pasta.

Get a very large pot and fill it with water add some salt about a teaspoon and about a spoon of olive oil.

BOIL BOIL BOIL untill its very hot then throw the pasta in, wait 5 - 7 minutes, take one out to try, if still a little hard cook for further minute or two.
Do not cook it for over 15 minutes if this method is used.

Your pasta will end up really soggy and break appart really quickly and become all matchy like mashed potatoes

I don't add so much salt though, a few twists of the grinder are good for me!

To tell if it's cooked, remove one piece and bite it, look at the end and if you see a lighter colour in the middle and you're not happy with the bite, cook for a little longer!

Originally Posted by Sar

I don't add so much salt though, a few twists of the grinder are good for me!

To tell if it's cooked, remove one piece and bite it, look at the end and if you see a lighter colour in the middle and you're not happy with the bite, cook for a little longer!

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well i add a tea spoon of salt to 2 litres of water

Usually olive oil is added after the pasta is drained in order to prevent it sticking together and also to add flavor to the sauce... less than a tablespoon for four servings of pasta. Adding it to the water won't do much except possibly add a little flavor and make the pot harder to clean.

Oil in the water means that it prevents the pasta from sticking to gether before hand - that what was do in the UK anyway! Plus afterwards is when I add my Pesto!

Originally Posted by valanhb

Pick one out of the water and eat it. Well, let it cool a little first.

Seriously, it depends on how you like your noodles. I like mine al dente, Earl likes his overcooked...

Or the old standby - throw one at a wall and if it sticks it's done!

Click to expand...

That's what I do...pick one out and eat it!!!

When I pull a noodle out to test if it is done, I run cool water over it to cool it down quick so I can bite into it.

I always cooked until the noodle was all the way done...I'm going to start leaving that little thread of white inside! Thanks for the great tip!

Ah, so many ways to do things.

Real Italians wouldn't dream of putting oil in the water when cooking pasta.

Also, after draining the pasta, to keep the pasta from sticking together, Italians will add some of the sauce to the pasta and mix it up, then serve the pasta in a large bowl and add more sauce as desired to each serving.

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

Usually olive oil is added after the pasta is drained in order to prevent it sticking together and also to add flavor to the sauce... less than a tablespoon for four servings of pasta. Adding it to the water won't do much except possibly add a little flavor and make the pot harder to clean.

Click to expand...

the way i made it is the way the italians make it, now i just realised that the UK people do it too! thanks sarah!

actually i find without adding oil into the pot, its alot harder to clean because all the pasta sticks to the bottom.
With oil it doesnt stick at all.

If you use warm enough water and a sponge with dish soap it cleans very quickly

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Ah, so many ways to do things.

Real Italians wouldn't dream of putting oil in the water when cooking pasta.

Also, after draining the pasta, to keep the pasta from sticking together, Italians will add some of the sauce to the pasta and mix it up, then serve the pasta in a large bowl and add more sauce as desired to each serving.

Click to expand...

??? all of the italian people that i know that live in italy do put oil in water?


Never ever put cooking oil people!! only Olive Extra Virgin oil!

Originally Posted by fwan

??? all of the italian people that i know that live in italy do put oil in water?

Never ever put cooking oil people!! only Olive Extra Virgin oil!

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I guess it really depends on what region they are from then. Our daughter was dating a fellow from Modena (Northern Italy) for 6 years and went to visit twice yearly. She said they never added oil. We also have a large contingent of Italian people in the Toronto area and we have a number of Italian friends and they also never use oil in the water. Guess it must vary by region in Italy. I've actually been told that putting oil in the water was more North American than Italian.

I throw mine too!

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Also, after draining the pasta, to keep the pasta from sticking together, Italians will add some of the sauce to the pasta and mix it up, then serve the pasta in a large bowl and add more sauce as desired to each serving.

Click to expand...

That's how I make it, also I saw on a cooking show that adding oil makes the sauce slip off the pasta. Not sure if that's true as I've never added oil myself.

I always cook the noodles for 10 minutes.

Originally Posted by valanhb

Pick one out of the water and eat it. Well, let it cool a little first.

Seriously, it depends on how you like your noodles. I like mine al dente, Earl likes his overcooked...

Or the old standby - throw one at a wall and if it sticks it's done!

Click to expand...

that last ones really good, sticking to the wall