It looked too good to be true. How could this possibly work? Wont the pasta be too starchy or gummy?
So I had to test it out myself before passing it on. Dang, it worked! It didn't just work, it worked perfectly.
The big question was how long do I cook the pasta for? My pasta box read 9 - 10 minutes which was intended for already boiling water. So, I had no real answer.
I placed a half pound of linguine in a saute pan that was large enough to fit my pasta without breaking them. Then I covered them with 6 cups of cold tap water and a good pinch of salt. Turned the heat to high and brought it to a boil, this happened pretty quick. The noodles didn't stick together and were cooked al dante in 10 minutes. The timeing ended up being accurate. Once the water came to a boil, it cooked al dente in the time stated on the box.
THANK'S DAVE, this was a great kitchen tip and trick!!!
I'm still shocked and impressed that this worked. I will definitely be cooking my pasta like this from now on. Goodbye big fat pot, unless I'm cooking for a crowd.
http://www.chow.com/videos/show/chow-tips/94799/how-to-quickly-cook-pasta-in-a-frying-pan
Your post has been the most helpful so far in trying to figure out this method, thank you!!! All the rest I've read just summarize the video and you actually indicate how long you cooked the pasta for and at what heat which I think is the information EVERYONE is looking for when they first find out about it!! I was just wondering about how much pasta you actually cooked? I'm trying to figure out a good pasta to water ratio to use!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words :). When I did this post I cooked a half pound of linguine in 6 cups of cold water. Since then I have successfully cooked up to a pound of pasta. I don't measure anymore, I just put the pasta in the pan and cover the pasta with about 2 inches of water. I don't think its necessary to use more than that, but, more water won't hurt.
DeleteCan you cook any kind of pasta this way or only the long, thin noodles?
ReplyDeleteI think it will work with all pastas :)
DeleteHi, great post. Did you stir the pasta before the water started boiling? Or you wait until boiling to stir?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Hi Campitor,
DeleteYou don't need to stir it. However, if you feel the need... I would sugesst stiring after it boils :)
how is this different than cooking pasta in a pot of water?
ReplyDeleteYou need a lot less water which comes to a boil quicker and the best part is that a frying pan is much easier to wash than a large pasta pot :)
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