Pasta survey

The one I love is spaghetti angel hair...it takes 3 to 4 minutes to boil this kind of spaghetti.

Well...Call this instant gratification but I just made pasta for perhaps the second or third time. I recall making it at least once before because who wouldn't at least try that if they like pasta?

The first time my noodles got waterlogged and just tasted like pasta-ish cylinders full of water about 8 years ago.


Fast forward to today. I read a few websites on how to do dis and even went on Quora to figure out how long to boil it for reading other people's opinions and STILL my pasta ended up barely palatable.


When my mother makes it (usually) it's great. Something I can eat without any sauce and just a little bit of butter and some parmesan and it's tasty but just feels like a lot of empty carbs.


I'll probably petition her to make me some and "data mine" her for how to do it myself but I'd like to hear from you all.

I'm not talking about the dish itself (tomato sauce, alfredo, meat etc.) just the noodles.


I suppose I could try an experiment twice a week noting down what portions I use and that may work but shortcuts are nice


P.S I did salt the water with a few shakes of some himalayan salt. Brought it to a boil and then added the spaghetti and stirred every two minutes and it was probably on the stove for 7-8 mins. Still watery...

There is a rice noodle I buy that does not require boiling You place the noodles in boiling water and then remove the pot from the heat, and let sit for three to five minutes, stirring a bit to loosen the noodles so they can all be exposed to the water. These noodles tend to be quite long, so I take a pair of scissors and cut them up a bit after draining, before adding any other ingredients

Hahaha I think it is instant noodles 😅 you can just add hot water in it and add the
ingredients or spices then cover it. After 1 to 2 minutes It'll be cooked already 😁

Sounds like you're over cooking - way overcooking

Most homemade pasta has a 3 minute cooking time maximum. I would check at 1 minute and the 2 minutes mark just to be safe. Think of it like kissing the water. You want your pasta kissing the water - not anything too intimate

Also, you can use vegetable stock or chicken stock to cook the pasta, adds a bit more flavor than just water.

I have since gotten better at eyeballing it and then taste testing a piece or two.

I still don't have a foolproof method but I did (in the last month) just go ahead and buy some fettuccine noodles precooked...warmed it...and then added my cooked shrimp to the mix with some parmesan.

It went well

Just expensive and barely served as a meal for what I could have had 3 meals out of alas. Sure beat having to buy alfredo sauce and then cook the noodles on top of that though.

When I'm in the mood again I'll try and post my results ha.

Pre-cooked pasta sounds expensive! I admit I didn't even know there was such a thing...

Well just remember if using store bought stock it's more concentrated so you only want to add a little to your pasta water... And don't forget to salt your pasta water if you're not using stock in it.

I wish you luck in any future pasta making adventures.. just have fun with it. Through some trial and error you'll get there!

I dont salt my pasta, I oil it. That way the noodles dont stick when cooking

I find salt does the same without the added oil. I guess it depends on what you're most concerned with (oil versus salt) and how much salt you put in the pasta itself.

There is a rice noodle I buy that does not require boiling You place the noodles in boiling water and then remove the pot from the heat, and let sit for three to five minutes, stirring a bit to loosen the noodles so they can all be exposed to the water. These noodles tend to be quite long, so I take a pair of scissors and cut them up a bit after draining, before adding any other ingredients

That's a first!
My Dad was a barber, but I don't think he ever gave angels or pastas hair cuts. But I might be wrong.

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

For those of us bachelors and bachelorettes who often buy sauce premade in the jar, here's a new discovery that you might like too.

https://midssauce.com

What separates this sauce from other brands is that it's very thick. All of the excess water has been cooked off of it. The flavor was intense, but seemed like it was the flavor of quality ingredients rather than added msg that's in everything savory. I only bought the sausage version. I think it also had cheese in it, but not sure. It definitely was meaty. You could see the sausage throughout. I could get three or four large meals from one jar if I used it generously. That's not a bad price IMHO. It was on sale for around $3.50 each. I'm not sure what the regular price is. Probably twice that. Anyhow, that's my favorite brand of red sauce at this point.
If you wanted to add anything to it, like vegetables, garlic, onions, cheeses, like I do, it won't overpower the taste. It stands alone or works well in any potato, rice or noodle combination I've tried. The sausage one can be used with meatballs or as is. Again, there's no clash. Everything blends well with it.

If anyone tries it, let me know.

Disclaimer:. I'm not a sponsor for or representative of Mids Sauce, nor do I own stock in the company. 😄

Why don't you post your own recipe??

Why don't you post your own recipe??

I own a bunch of cookbooks that were handed down from my parents and ethnic ones that I refer to once in a while for new ideas. 99% Of my food preparation is free style improvisation. When I find what I like I'll dial it in, but don't measure ingredients and write them down.

i also use seasonal foods.
My recipes are more like, what goes with what. I like intense flavors much of the time and put together combinations. It's quick and easy depending on what is available at the time. If I give a recipe, it'll be free of exact measurements . It'll be akin to a Justin Wilson adding cooking wine the way I use garlic and Sun Jerusalem Artichokes. 😄

Here's a"Recipe"


Heat coconut oil on low

Maybe I'll take time to make a sausage sauce of my own from scratch and post it here. I have another pound or two of excellent quality sausage in the freezer for a special occasion.

sounds good.