Pasta and Pizza

Pasta dishes are versatile; they can be a side dish, a lunch, part of an elaborate dinner and also can provide a great last minute meal. You can easily keep the ingredients on hand to whip up a pasta dinner whenever you need a quick, satisfying meal.

Pizza takes a little more time because you should let the dough rise for an hour, but making pizza at home is not a labor intensive or complicated task, and the ingredients are also simple to keep on hand for last minute pizza splurges.

There are a few things to keep in mind when cooking pasta:

▪ Always start with cold water and use a large pot that holds at least 4 quarts of water for up to a pound of pasta.

▪ Cover the pot and bring the water to a fully robust boil.

▪ Add salt to taste, which could mean no salt or maybe a tablespoon or so. Keep in mind the salt in the sauce you will put on it. Note the recommended cooking time on the package.

▪ Add the pasta to the boiling water all at once, give it a few stirs and begin timing as soon as the water returns to a boil. Your goal is to get all the pasta submerged and cooking in boiling water as soon as possible. Long pasta like spaghetti will soften and bend to fit in the pot and stirring it around will help it do this quickly. If the water seems slow to return to a boil, replace the cover for a minute or so but remove it as soon as the water is boiling. Give a few stirs from time to time to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Start checking to see if it is done a minute or so before the full time elapses.

▪ The best pasta is cooked “al dente”, which literally means “to the tooth”, and metaphorically means that you should feel some slight resistance as your teeth cut into it. If it is too firm it is undercooked and needs more time, and hopefully you will catch the right moment before it overcooks and is too soft. When it is close to perfect you should be checking every 30 seconds or so. If the pasta is going to be used in a recipe that will be baked in the oven, it is better to err on the side of undercooking it by a minute or so.

▪ Drain the pasta in a large colander. In most cases when you are going to add sauce and eat it immediately, you’ll want to put the pasta back in the empty but still warm pot, mix in the sauce, and serve.

▪ Full disclosure: some cooks claim that the best way to test pasta is to toss it up against the ceiling or a wall, and if it sticks then it is done. Your call on this one.