10 myths about pasta

10 common myths about pasta that are either false or often misunderstood

1. To check if pasta is ready, throw a strand at the wall. If it sticks, it’s done

Both overcooked and undercooked pasta can stick to the wall. That’s because the starch creates a sticky coating around the noodle. So if it sticks, it’s not proof that it’s properly cooked.

2. Breaking spaghetti in half makes it cook faster

How fast pasta cooks depends on its thickness, not its length. Breaking spaghetti only shortens it, it doesn’t reduce cooking time.

3. You should never cover the pot when boiling pasta

The only downside to covering the pot is that the water might boil over. It won’t affect the texture or flavor of the pasta at all.

4. Adding oil to the water keeps pasta from sticking

If you add oil to the boiling water, you’re just wasting oil. To prevent sticking, either toss the pasta in butter or oil after boiling, or mix it with its sauce. In any case, pasta is best eaten right away.

5. Adding salt when you first fill the pot helps the water boil faster

Actually, the opposite is true. Salt raises the boiling point of water, meaning it takes longer to start boiling.

6. Rinsing pasta with cold water keeps it from sticking

Never rinse your pasta after boiling. It washes away the starch and ruins the silky texture.

7. Pasta must be fully drained to keep the sauce from getting watery

Not true. A bit of the pasta water in the sauce actually makes it more flavorful.

8. Pasta must always be boiled in salted water

While salted water adds extra flavor and is the most common method, it’s not the only way. Try boiling pasta in red wine sometime.

9. Lasagna or cannelloni noodles must be fully cooked before assembling the dish

If your sauce is watery enough, you don’t need to pre-boil the noodles at all as they’ll cook in the oven with the sauce.

10. Pasta makes you gain weight

A study by Italian researchers suggests that pasta’s impact on weight gain is largely a myth. The results showed that when paired with vegetables and olive oil, pasta can even aid weight loss. It’s the sauces and cheeses that are the real culprits. A 100g serving of plain pasta has about 350 calories.