I'm always surprised when someone doesn't know how to cook. That being said, I don't think that everyone needs to know how to churn out perfect cheese souffles or Christmas hams. I do think however that one should at least be able to feed themselves, and maybe even another person too, without the need of a can opener and a microwave!
Let's start with pasta. Spaghetti and tomato sauce is one of those easy dishes that can just as easily become mush in red sauce. It is very easy to overcook pasta, but 'Al dente' is the only way to go. Anything cooked past that belongs with mushy peas in a glass bottle with a baby on it.
Begin by boiling liberally salted water - a lot of it - in a covered pot. Using a big pot with a lot of water helps the pasta heat evenly and keeps it from clumping. By seasoning the water, the pasta will absorb some salt while cooking, and don't worry, it won't taste salty.
Once boiling, add the pasta and lower the heat slightly. Knowing how much pasta to make just comes with experience. Anyone who's made pasta before knows that an unwatched pot always boils over. Cook your pasta until it's soft but with a firm core, stirring often. I slightly under-cook my pasta because I always finish it with sauce in a saute pan.
While your pasta is cooking, get your sauce ready. I always like to quickly saute some mushrooms, onions, and/or zucchini in olive oil before warming my sauce in the same pan. Little things like this always help pick up an otherwise boring dish, especially when you're not using Nona's bolognese. Prepping the sauce while your pasta is cooking means that your pasta won't sit around and clump up. Traditionally, there should be enough sauce to coat the pasta, not for it to swim in; but when the sauce is delicious, I always like to add a bit more.
When ready, drain your pasta well. Do not rinse! When you rinse it, you rinse away the starch that helps the sauce stick. If you're making carbonara, always keep some of the cooking water to add moisture. There's no need to add olive oil to your pasta now. Adding oil now only makes the noodles slippery and keeps the sauce from sticking - plus there's already oil in your sauce.
Add your pasta to the pan and incorporate it into the sauce with tongs. Saute just long enough for the noodles to finish cooking and serve immediately. Finish it up with some real Parmesan and maybe some sun-dried tomatoes. Just that easy!
GG
When ready, drain your pasta well. Do not rinse! When you rinse it, you rinse away the starch that helps the sauce stick. If you're making carbonara, always keep some of the cooking water to add moisture. There's no need to add olive oil to your pasta now. Adding oil now only makes the noodles slippery and keeps the sauce from sticking - plus there's already oil in your sauce.
Add your pasta to the pan and incorporate it into the sauce with tongs. Saute just long enough for the noodles to finish cooking and serve immediately. Finish it up with some real Parmesan and maybe some sun-dried tomatoes. Just that easy!
GG
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