Uses and abuses of Pasta Water
emerogork
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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annie1992
6 years agoemerogork
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Boiled pasta and potato water as fertilizer?
Comments (2)We do this regularly. Not sure how much fertilizer value there is in it, but it has to be some and we live in a dry area. So yes, pasta water and water from steaming veggies gets used to water the plants near the kitchen. Why not? Just make sure there is not too much salt in it though....See MoreRe-using a pasta sauce jar?
Comments (61)Linda Lou, I wonder if we "scrub" those bumps off? I use a #8 Griswold for most frying and if I need a larger one, I use my Martin Stove and Range Company skillet for which I have a lid. I think the Martin Company went out of business in the early 1940's, having started in the early 1900's. Don't know the year of my Griswold either. But, they have both been around for many decades. In all those years, both have been scrubbed many times with some pretty old fashioned pot scrubbers. "Elbow grease" was never spared at the kitchen sink in the past. Maybe a few thousand scrubs with a steel pot scrubber kinda takes off those bumps. Just a wild speculation. Jim in So Calif...See MoreHow long can I "hold" cooked pasta in its cooking water?
Comments (9)The latter. From rolling boil cook for two minutes then drain, shock in ice water, drain, stir in just enough olive oil to coat, put in fridge until needed. Supposedly can be held for up to six hours, but I've never gone that long. It can cook more quickly than expected after that, so start checking after a minute or two. Another method which I've never tried is a cold soak. Soak the pasta in cold water anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours, pull it out and cook as needed. Supposedly this pasta only takes a minute to cook. Are you anticipating cooking individual servings as the guests arrive? That's the only reason I'd see for using either of these methods. Either way you have to boil the pasta, so unless you want to feed them the moment they walk in the door what does it matter if the pasta takes one minute to cook or twelve? If it's a sit-down dinner I'd just have a big pot of water waiting at barely a simmer so that you can bring it to a boil quickly when needed....See MoreDo you use a colander or tongs to drain pasta? (recipe included)
Comments (32)I was cooking pasta with a friend this summer on holiday, and we were discussing all this stuff. He is of Italian heritage so considers cooking his birthright, LOL. He strongly disapproved of putting oil in the water or on the pasta after draining it. He said the sauce wouldn't "stick" as well with the oil. I believe in oil. I put a little oil and mix it into the drained pasta to prevent sticking. It helps to put it in the pasta water also. (I don't care what Alton Brown says about THAT!) My sauces have no problem adhering to the pasta afterwards. Viva La Pasta! (Lou, I have about 10 folded up post-it notes in my purse as we speak!)...See Moresleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
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