How to Make Pasta Stop Cooking

Cooking perfect pasta doesn't have to be an impossible task.

Cooking perfect pasta can be deceptively easy. One minute too long or too short can mean the difference between overdone and underdone noodles. Noodle size, shape and thickness play a huge role in how long a specific type of pasta takes to cook. Failing to pay attention to a boiling pot or allowing the cooking process to continue after the noodles are done can result in a mushy mess no one wants to eat.

Things You'll Need

• Noodles
• Water
• Oil
• Salt
• Large pasta pot
• Pasta spoon
• Colander
• Cold water

Instructions

1. Fill a large pasta pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt to the water (1 teaspoon per package of pasta) and cook the noodles per the package instructions, stirring constantly. Salting the water is the only way to flavor the noodles directly.

2. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the noodles into a colander in a clear sink.

3. Rinse the pasta with cold water from the tap. Use a pasta spoon to lift the pasta to expose all of the noodles to the cold water. This will remove most of the starch from the pasta and prevent it from sticking together. Toss the noodles with a bit of olive oil and serve with your favorite sauce.

Tips & Warnings

• Rinsing noodles with cold water is the only way to stop the cooking process.