Smooshy Noodle Help

[Miranda Danda]

Okay, I just got back from Wal*Mart with a box of Italian flavored pasta salad. I know I can't cook and that's why I buy the box stuff. Well, I made it and the noodles didn't puff up and look fat. I touched them and they were soft--- too soft. It basically disintegrated.

My question is, what did I do wrong? I will admit that I put the noodles in the pan when I put the water into the pan, but I do this everytime I cook noodles and it never happened before.

I'm getting married in 8 months so I need help!!!

Don't feel too bad for my future hubby, though because I can bake a mean cherry and apple pie, cupcakes, and cakes. I wonder if he will settle for that as breakfast lunch and dinner!!!

 

[liamsaunt]

Hi Miranda,

when cooking pasta, always bring the water to a full, rolling boil before adding the pasta to the pot. Use lots of water--this helps to keep the pasta from clumping. Add some salt to the water if you like (I always do--it helps the flavor).

Make sure you time the pasta. If there is a set time on the box, begin testing it two minutes before it is supposed to be done. Bite into it to see if you have the texture you want. It should have a little "bite" to it--you don't want it to be all mushy.

If you are serving with a hot sauce, scoop out a ladle of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta. You can stir some of this into the pasta and sauce after you toss them together if the sauce seems too thick.

Never rinse your pasta after cooking unless you are planning to serve it in something cold, like a pasta salad. The starch that is on the surface of the noodles when they are drained helps the sauce cling to the pasta.

Always toss your pasta with the sauce right away--this keeps the cooked pasta from clumping together.

Hope this helps! Congrats on your marriage!

 

[toystory1130]

Don't feel bad at all. Few years ago I remember cooking elbow noodles and they never cooked, I kept boiling them for more than an hour and still nothing. I think sometimes they are just "off" with their recipe too. Hope it turns out better the next time.

 

[CEDmom]

You shouldn't put the noodles in the water until it's boiling. Honestly though I think those prepackaged mixes aren't very good. The noodles always seem gummy. Pasta salad is SO EASY. Just make your favorite noodles, toss with your favorite bottled italian salad dressing, throw in some chopped up veggies and chill. Yum Yum

 

[Miranda Danda]

Thank y'all so much for the advice!!!

1/2 of me hopes it was the box so I didn't do anything wrong, but the other 1/2 hopes it was me because I still have another box of the stuff and I want it to be normal tasting.

I will definitely take y'alls advice and do it differently this time. I am just an impatient noodle-cooker!