How to Cook Pasta Perfectly

Pasta can be both a side dish and an actual meal. The best pasta is made of durum wheat and you should be able to find this in the ingredient list on the box.

5-Minute Crafts has prepared detailed instructions on how long you should boil pasta and how to do it perfectly.

How long to boil pasta

The cooking time depends on the type of pasta. The exact number of minutes is usually written on the pack, but the general rules are as follows:

• egg-based pasta (fettuccine, tagliatelle, lasagna) is boiled from 3 to 5 minutes;
• thin pasta (spaghettini, shells) — from 6 to 9 minutes;
• dry spaghetti — 8-9 minutes:
• thick kinds of pasta (fusilli, penne, rigatoni, farfalle, celentani, campanelle) — from 12 to 15 minutes.

What you need

To make pasta you need:

• water
• pasta
• salt
• a wide pot
• a spoon or spatula for stirring
• a colander

How to boil pasta properly

1. Put a pot with a big amount of water on the stove over high heat until it boils.
2. Add salt (1 liter of water should have about 1 tbsp of salt).
3. Add about 75 grams of pasta for one person.
4. Stir the pasta occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan and boil according to the instructions on the box. The vast majority of boxed pasta has instructions for cooking the pasta “al dente” (literally “to the tooth”). This cooking style results in a firm, yet cooked (but not overcooked) pasta. Overcooked pasta can have the consistency of a thick glue or paste — if you have overcooked it, it’s better to just toss it out and restart the process. If you are boiling lasagna, in the end, put the layers into the water with ice to avoid it from cooking more.
5. Turn the heat off, pour the pasta into the colander, and let the water drain. Serve the pasta.

How to boil pasta in a microwave oven

1. Put a portion of pasta into a transparent bowl.
2. Pour enough water to cover all of the pasta.
3. Add about 3-4 minutes to the time written on the pack. Place the bowl with the pasta into a microwave oven, set the timer, and press start.
4. Watch to make sure the water does not pour out of the bowl. When the time ends, check to see if the pasta is ready. If needed, boil it for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Put the pasta into a colander, and let the water drain. Serve the pasta.