GFY cooks: when cooking pasta, are you supposed to add oil into water ?
 

well ?

:helpme

a little bit of Olive Oil so the starch does not foam over the pot and get all over the range! Also adds flavor to the pasta.

A little salt and Olive Oil in the water.

a teaspoon

Yup. put oil and salt before you put the pasta in it !

i add 1 oil cap for a pot of spaghetti

and some salt

Oil also keeps the noodles from sticking together.

you are damn right .. I forgot to tell about that part!

:thumbsup

Also stops it from sticking together..

I don't know if you are supposed to, however, I first thinly slice garlic, then cook it in virgin olive oil. After putting the pasta (spaghetti or whatever) into boiling water until it is done, I drain the water then pour the garlic-olive oil mix into the pasta and stir it up good.

This infuses the pasta with garlic and olive oil. Finally I add whatever other sauce (alfredo, tomato/marinara, etc), and I have pasta which is moist with a garlic and olive oil taste with great sauce on top (just how I like it).

I have other secrets for those who have a taste for fine cuisine.

Bon appetit...

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A little salt and olive oil. Also, put in the pasta once the water is slowly boiling already.

Agree - also stops the pasta from sticking.

The ONLY way to get "al dente".

:thumbsup

Really?

Whoda thunk it? :glugglug

I can't stand it when people put the pasta in the water before it starts boiling... they usually overcook it and have fat nasty noodles.

Definitely add the olive oil, salt is optional. I usually add it but I don't like a lot of salt so sometimes I don't.

alright, got it :thumbsup

No, you're not supposed to.
Use a BIG pot, plenty of water plenty of salt.
Make it to boil.
then add the pasta.

If you have hot enough water, and big enough pot, the pasta will NOT stick.

i heard it also stops the pasta from sticking together

..or you could listen to the people here, I personally would opt to believe myself over all these people in the wrong. :)

AFTER the pasta is done, you could add a knob of butter to make sure they don't stick at that point, and it gives a nice taste. But trust me, the oil in the water is only necessary if you don't have a big pot, or don't know how to cook it (ie. put pasta in the water before it boils etc). :)

Interesting.




FYI, the salt is not added for taste. Salt helps water boil faster.

Scientific fact.

Oil is not necessary, but it does work and adds flavor.

And your idea on the butter, well, once you tossed your cooked pasta in butter once, you will NEVER go back.

Nice call !

:thumbsup

Didn't know that mate.... learn something new every day.

But, it does add some taste as well.

:winkwink:

You got your science facts wrong chief. Salt raises the boiling point of water so it takes longer to boil.

"I don't know if you are supposed to, however, I first thinly slice garlic, then cook it in virgin olive oil. After putting the pasta (spaghetti or whatever) into boiling water until it is done, I drain the water then pour the garlic-olive oil mix into the pasta and stir it up good.
"

I do the same but I use butter :)

I put a little olive oil in there to prevent the pasta from sticking and of course it doesnt hurt the flavor.
:thumbsup

Dammit....eveything i had to say ....Dirty Aaron has pointed them out.....

Good job man.,....were/are you a cook?

Then you are adding too much salt and not rinsing the noodles in cold water after cooking them. The rinse is to remove excess starch and the salt if you use it.

After rinsing in cold water, you turn the rinse back to hot to reheat the noodles then pour the warm sauce over them.

Pasta without salt during the boil is ass.

It raises the boiling temperature.

Not the way the Italians I grew up with showed me (not that being different is wrong, just different).

Antonio's mother used a huge pot, SHIT loads of salt, a dash of extra virgin, water boiling away, in goes pasta, 9 minutes into strainer, NO rinsing, straight back into pot, big chunk of butter, mixed through, poured in sauce, tossed through, served.

Never got any better than that.

:thumbsup

Shit....Somebody should tell the instructors at Western Culinary Institute about this. :winkwink:

http://www.wci.edu/

Reference: http://intro.chem.okstate.edu/ChemSo...ater/notes.htm

You can do it either way. I worked in a Kitchen many years ago with a Sicilian family. They taught me many forms of cooking pasta and sauces. You don't ever have to add oil or butter to the pasta. Once it is done cooking you take it out of the pot and pour cold water on the pasta to stop the ooking and keep the noodles from sticking :2 cents:

I really think Aaron is right...it boils faster with salt....ive been cooking for years and have had my tests.....hot water does not freeze faster

yes

it keeps the pasta from sticking to itself

it isn't a requirement with most modern dried pasta but it still is nice for all the reasons people are saying.

If you don't want to be strictly tradotional try putting a stock or bullion cube in the waster with the pasta. A nice garlicy one or a veggie one can boost the flavour nicely. That works even better with rice.

oh and don't drown the pasta in sauce!

just a teaspoon of oil would do.

And we have a winner! :D

Another thing, if you add too much oil, pasta will not stick but a side effect is that the sauce will not stick to the pasta either.

You do NOT add oil to the water period! The oil will coat the pasta when you remove it from the water and will stop any sauce you add to the pasta from properly coating it.

For some reason, I thought I would come in this thread and you would be left with 36 replies and no real response... looks like they took care of ya though.

sticking - check
boiling over - check
added flavor - check

I don't add oil and my noodles have never stuck together. If you have a problem with it sticking, rinse it in hot water after it's cooked or toss it with butter. I put in lots of kosher salt for flavor and that's it.

Instead of oil, why not use a wooden spoon placed over the top of the pot to keep the pasta from boiling over? If your pot's too small, you're fucked regardless, but at least you won't have oily pasta.

The pasta will only stick together if over cooked.
I was told by an Italian chef never to put anything in the water, and only add the pasta after the water starts boiling. Olive oil and spices are supposed to be added afterwards if desiered.
He also added that if he heard of me using anything but fresh pasta (ie. not the hard one) he would personally kill me.

Not usually. They key is having a BIG POT. When starch foam boils over, your pot was too small. When pasta sticks together, your pot was too small.

This is the real answer.

If you don't want your sauce sliding off your pasta do NOT put oil in when you cook the pasta. Traditionally the pasta is supposed to absorb the sauce so if that is how you like your pasta you will fuck it up cooking with oil in the water. Its the incorrect way to cook spaghetti noodles.

The only reason people do that is to keep the water from boiling over, just watch what you are doing and don't be lazy.

Yep, the pasta is just a vehicle for the flavor of the sauce. Also dont rinse the pasta.

Fact: Oil and water do not mix.

So why would you think adding oil to the water would help in keeping the pasta unstuck, specially when the pasta stays under the water? As it's been stated, use a big enough pot and water and you'll be cool.

I haven't had pasta in ages. I know what i'm going to have for dinner.

My husband is a real chef. Graduate of Johnson and Wales University. You do NOT add oil to the water. Kosher salt only and yes, the salt does add taste.

Thanks, a culinary degree and 10 years as a chef helped me come up with that answer. :thumbsup

so whats the CORRECT answer....the best most preferred PROFESSIONAL method to cook hard pasta ???

The real trick when your cooking pasta is how much water you use to boil it in. This is where most people/ chefs get it wrong, the more water the better at least 5 liters for every 500g of pasta.
Salt can be added for flavour and it also helps harden the flour and a dash of olive oil can be added as well, personally I like to add it later when the pasta is cooked and strained.

The top reasons your pasta sticks is:
not enough water
water not boiling when pasta added
over cooking