Pasta, spaghetti, they are pasta, are the most favorite dish along with potatoes. In addition, products practically do not require any preparation, cleaning, washing. It's simple - I opened the bag, fell asleep in the pan and voila, in 10-15 minutes everything will be ready. But is it really so? Even ordinary pasta requires a special approach. There are some mistakes that can even be called crimes in relation to your favorite product.
Are all pasta the same?
Well, no. The difference is not only in price, shape or size. Advanced housewives know that products are made from a variety of types of flour. As a basis, not only wheat is used, sometimes several species are mixed.
How else do the compositions differ:
- the presence or absence of eggs;
- dyes;
- improvers.
By the way, on the packaging not all of these additives are always indicated. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's recommendations. Gone are the days when pasta was sold by weight without indicating any information. You can cook less than the specified time, the paste will reach readiness in the sauce, more can not.
The first crime: cook all the pasta and spaghetti equally in time.
Bows, spaghetti, horns or turntables?
One important point to remember: corrugated pasta is always better than smooth cousins. Such a surface does not allow the sauce to drain to the bottom of the plate, it lingers on the products, impregnates them, which significantly improves the taste. In addition to the surface, when buying, you need to pay attention to the shape. It should be chosen taking into account the dish that is planned to be prepared.
What form of pasta to choose:
- Spaghetti, vermicelli, noodles. They go well with creamy and thick tomato sauces. Liquid gravy drains from them instantly.
- Short and hollow products (horns, feathers) are ideally combined with goulash and other sauces, in which there are pieces of meat, fish, mushrooms, bacon.
- Curly pasta (bows, wheels, spirals) are very well impregnated with sauces, even liquid gravy can be served to them.
The second crime: choose the wrong form for the dishes.
Did you choose a pan?
A lot depends on the pan. Since the proper cooking of spaghetti and pasta involves the use of a large amount of water (see below), it is worthless to take small dishes. In addition, not every large pan will do. Pans with high sides are not suitable. Macaroni should not be a high layer during cooking. Therefore, it is worth taking the widest saucepan and with low sides to touch the bottom when stirring. Otherwise, products may adhere to it.
The third crime: cooking pasta in a small or narrow pan.
Have you poured water?
Macaroni is always boiled in water. You can replace it with broth, mushroom broth or add them for taste. But it is important that there is a lot of fluid. For 100 g of dry products, regardless of type and form, a whole liter is used. That is, for a pack of 400 g you need 4 liters. Plus a place for pasta and boil. A pot of at least 5 liters should be taken.
There are no drain cooking methods, water is added strictly according to the norm. The pasta is tasty, rich, but it’s very difficult to cook correctly. Now in stores a huge range of products with different ability to absorb water. Therefore, there are no uniform proportions, and manufacturers consider this method very rarely.
Fourth crime: little water.
Have you forgotten the salt?
Do not cook pasta without salt. Also, do not add it "by eye", nothing good will come of it. 10 g of salt is required per liter of water. Other spices are allowed if you want to enhance the taste. Sometimes they throw garlic clove or onion, a piece of butter. Turmeric is poured for color. The amount of salt does not change if it is not in seasoning.
Fifth crime: do not add salt.
Shower pasta?
In the middle of the last century, when pasta reached the peak of its popularity, one step appeared in the cooking technology - washing. Products after cooking were poured into a colander, and then rinsed with water, sometimes even cold from a tap. This stage prevented the products from sticking together, removed the sticky starch layer, but also abruptly interrupted the heat treatment, which worsened the taste, the dish quickly cooled.
To not wash the pasta, you need:
- cook in the recommended amount of water;
- use high-quality durum wheat products;
- cook no longer than the time indicated on the package;
- use oil for lubrication.
You can add oil when cooking pasta, as do Italian cooks. It is believed that it improves the taste of the finished product. It is not necessary to use butter for lubrication, vegetable oils are also suitable.
Sixth crime: pasta washing.
Covered with a lid? What for?
Cover the pot with water and salt so that the liquid boils quickly and does not evaporate. After adding the pasta, the lid is removed, it is no longer needed. Otherwise, the products will "run away", foam will appear, the stove will get dirty. In addition, Italians believe that cooked pasta without a lid tastes much better. And they certainly understand this.
Seventh crime: cook pasta under the lid.
Hinder, stir or stir?
Do not stir pasta when cooking - a mistake, they stick together lumps. Doing this at the wrong time is also a mistake, the look and shape of the products will suffer, more starch will stand out. How right?
When starting products in boiling water, you need to mix them thoroughly and do this every 30-40 seconds for the first five minutes. Then you can forget about the paste, it does not need stirring anymore.
Eighth crime: stirring at the wrong time.
Gave it, it gave it and it left
Macaroni even from durum wheat is cooked quickly. Why do they do for the future? Products lie and stick together, dry out. If you pour the sauce, then they become sour. Repeated heating is also not the best way affects the quality of the dish. It is not worth cooking a lot, it is wiser to make a fresh side dish every time. One full serving requires 60-70 grams, you can take 80 grams for safety.
Ninth crime: cook pasta for the future.
