How to Pick a Pot for Cooking Fettuccine Pasta

Fettuccine, meaning "little ribbons" in Italian, is a flat thick noodle, popularized in the early 1900s in New York City by an Italian chef who combined it with a Parmesan sauce. Fettuccine Alfredo is the most common way of preparing the dish today. With the proper cooking pot and a few easy techniques, you'll have delicious fettuccine in no time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Choose a large heavy pot that will easily hold your pasta as it boils without restricting its movement. An overstuffed pot can result in undercooked pasta or noodles that stick together.
2. Pick a heavy cast aluminum pot, coated with enamel for consistent heat transmission throughout. A stainless steel pot with an aluminum-core disk in the bottom is also a good choice. Avoid pots with thin bottoms to prevent the fettuccine from sticking and scorching.
3. Fill the pot with lots of water. The recommended amount on the fettuccine package is the minimum, more is better. It takes a little longer to bring it to a boil but the pasta will cook evenly.
4. Add some salt to your boiling water. Italian chefs suggest 1 tbsp. of salt per each quart of water. Add it to the pot before your put the fettuccine in. Although that seems like a lot of salt, remember, most of it will drain away with the water. Only a small amount remains in the pasta, enhancing the flavor.
5. Refrain from breaking up the fettuccine, unless you are adding the noodles to a soup and need bite-sized pieces. If they are too tall for your pot, put gentle pressure on the upright noodles as the lower portion softens. They will soon soften enough to sink into the boiling water.
6. Stir the pasta often as you bring the water back to a boil. The boiling action circulates the noodles but until then you should stir them with a long wooden spoon to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
7. Cook the fettuccine to an al dente state. The noodle will be soft but retain a slight firmness when it is ready. Overcooking pasta results in sticky noodles that lump together. As soon as your fettuccine is ready, remove it from the stove and drain.