TIP OF THE DAY: COOK PASTA IN HALF THE TIME
Sometimes when cooking dinner I need a quick side and think to myself, “My kids would love noodles but I don’t have 20 minutes?” 10 minutes to bring water to a boil and another 10 to cook. I know this sounds pathetic, but I really do think that. So that’s where my TIP OF THE DAY: COOK PASTA IN HALF THE TIME really helps me to get it on the table FAST!
Photo Credit Isriya Paireepairit
Cook it in a skillet.
Think about it. We cook the oh-so-quick and popular hamburger helper this way, don’t we? So why not implement this technique in my own practices?
Just throw your water, salt, and pasta into your skillet and bring to a boil. No since you have a wider surface area than a deep pot would, stand by because it will boil rather quickly.
When you feel your pasta is al dente (cooked so as not to be too soft; firm to the bite), either remove or drain pasta from pan, or add you favorite sauce.
A thought to ponder that you may have never thought of is to either reserve some of the pasta water, or leave a little in the pan with the noodles to kind of “stretch” your sauce a little. The starchy water helps bind and slightly thicken your sauce.
Photo credit Johnida Dockens
Or, just add a little parmesan cheese to the noodles and leftover pasta water, a splash of heavy cream and a pad of butter for a quick and traditional Alfredo Sauce.
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