Some Questions Re: Cooking & Eating Long Pasta's Like Angel Hair, Linguine & Spaghetti.....

[global1]

1. Why shouldn't I break these pasta's in half before I put them in the pot of water to cook them? In my opinion - they get cooked more evenly versus when putting them in the pot whole - half of the pasta gets cooked faster than the side that sticking out of the water. That side doesn't start cooking until the bottom half of the pasta gets cooked and the top half slides into the water. Is this just a matter of presentation when putting it on a plate - that it looks better being a whole strand versus half the size strands?

2. When I eat such pasta - why don't chefs encouraging the use of a knife on it and cut it in more manageable bite size pieces instead of having to wrap it around a fork and stick a more than a mouthful in one's mouth. Why shouldn't I make it easier for me to eat it? Is not cutting it just a traditional method of eating pasta or is there really a reason I shouldn't be cutting such pasta's?

I know these sound like stupid questions. I always break the pasta in half before putting it in the pot so it all gets cooked at the same time. I always use a knife to cut the pasta in fork size cuts so I could eat it without spraying sauce all over me and/or having a lot of the pasta hanging out of my mouth as I eat it.

I would appreciate your comments on this.

[padfun]

1. Agree

I always broke them down. I don't eat pasta anymore (KETO diet) but if I did, I would still break them in thirds or so.

[dweller]

2. Pot sized pasta

is made, ive been buying for a few years
basically 1/2 as long as normal pasta

✌🏻

[LakeArenal]

3. I break them in half. No rules at home.

If you order in a restaurant ask for it cut.

[BusyBeingBest]

4. I use a pasta server or tongs to push the dried pasta down into the water, and

then stir/swish it around it as the pasta starts to soften so the strands separate. Use a big enough pot and enough water and it won't be an issue. I don't break it up because I just don't find short strands as appealing, but there's probably no good reason not to do it if that's how you like it.

[Kali]

5. watching pros roll it up with fork and spoon is cool

but I'm a spaz so cut it with side of fork, not knife.

when cooking I don't break it but I do stir regularly so it doesn't clump, the difference between the few ends sticking up for less than a minute don't make much difference in the cooking that I have ever noticed. spaghetti softens and goes under water pretty fast, so I don't break it. key it so use a big pot and lots of water.

[Major Nikon]

24. I had the same problem till I realized the vodka goes in the sauce

[wryter2000]

6. You should do what you want

If you decide you don't want to break it in half before you cook it, use a larger pot so it all get submerged at once. Or stir it so it falls in quickly.

[Bobstandard]

7. Long pasta might not be right for you

If you want more even cooking of long pasta, get a pot that’s big enough to immerse the entire pasta at once, or nearly so. If half the pasta is sticking out of the boiing water when you add the pasts, your pot is too small.

If you want pasta that’s easier to fork, cook smaller pastas like tubitini, rigatoni, penne, the list is endless. Many hold sauces much better than the long pastas.

I would also point out that many, many, many people are able to eat heavily sauced long pastas without spraying sauce all over themselves or having pasta hanging out of their mouths (though it’s perfectly polite to slurp up long pastas).

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. Use macaroni.

Just as tasty. Stays on your spoon.

[Budi]

9. I also break the length in half or thirds. And I always run a knife thru....

..thru the pasta in my dish to shorten it even more.
Bite size is how I prefer to eat it & it fits nicely on a fork or spoon too.

I ditched the formality of eating long-pasta years ago.
I'm quite ok with it 🙂

[True Blue American]

15. Angel Hair

I break in fourths to cook. Then put my sauce on after cooking.

[Budi]

20. Yup. Angel hair is the only type I buy anymore.

This with a bit of butter & cream sauce & fine grated Cotija cheese, that for some reason I can only find at my Aldi store.

It's similar to a fine grated parmesan, by has a deliciously strong flavor of its own. When stirred in right before eating with a little butter & cream, it becomes a divine instant alfredo-ish bowl of heaven. 😏

It is a "Mexian Parmesan Style Zesty Cheese".
Here's the Brand I use, in case you can locate it:

Google, pueblo lindo grated cotija cheese to order online & read the details.
I only buy the grated & not shredded for its ease of use.
I pour it into a big ziplock with a handy little scooping cup.

PIC:



Yum!

[True Blue American]

25. Will be checking that out

At Aldi’s.

I use the tiny spiral for Macaroni Salad. You ever put canned white meat chicken in Salad? Can use Angel Hair, too.

[Budi]

27. That'd be good. Maybe with capers & a mild lemon butter sauce. Like chicken picatta

My other adorable flavored treat food, I'll order to-go occassionally.
Picatta w/angel hair pasta, & a really good coconut curry. (But that's another OP)

I'm finding lately that I've narrowed my palate to a few of the best of, favorites.

[Budi]

28. Short cut angel hair may work in that salad, but you won't get the volumn as a larger macaroni

That's the beauty of Pasta tho. It's adaptable & always predictably good tasting.

[True Blue American]

29. It all depends on your taste.

I think regular spaghetti is too thick. Am not crazy about big shells, like the small ones. I also choose what the family likes. I like Angel Hair, they like small Rotini

[Warpy]

19. I find longer pasta easier to eat

You stick the fork straight down, twirl it on the plate, and pick up a neat bundle to eat.

Pro tip from Boston's North End, although I'd figured it out before I got there.

[luvs2sing]

10. Depends on the size of the pot I'm using.

If the big pot is full of spaghetti sauce and I’m using a large saucepan, I’ll break it in half. I also prevent pasta from sticking together while cooking by keeping it at a hard boil and stirring constantly during the first minute of cooking.

[Jirel]

11. Forget the "rules."

1. The only reason to not break the pasta is for the sake of looks. A restaurant likes to plate crazy long noodles. At home, your kitchen, your rules. I always break my long pasta because I refuse to use a wastefully large pot just for looks.

2. Cut it as much as you want. Is it traditional? No. Does anyone really care? No.

[DinahMoeHum]

12. +1000s

n/t

[niyad]

13. I have been breaking the long pastas down to cook and eat for many years. Heresy, I know.

But it works for me.

[42bambi]

14. I do break my spaghetti in half for cooking ... I don't cut my pasta as I'm eating but

my hubby cuts his into fork size bites. To each his own I guess. Now I'm hungry for some good ole Italian food! Maybe I'll make some linguine with clam sauce for dinner tonight.

[tblue37]

17. I just ate spaghetti & meatballs for lunch!

[tblue37]

16. Sicilian-American here: I always break spaghetti in half to cook it. I don't cut it at table, though

[Warpy]

18. It depends largely on the pot

Ideally, you should have a pasta pentola with a basket that holds adequate water to cook the stuff without making it starchy and gummy. You put the whole pasta into the basket and lower it into the boiling water, lift it up and set it cockeyed to drain. I actually have one of these, but I rarely use it for lunch for one. Mine generally gets used for soups.

If you're using a smaller pan, then breaking it in half is essential. While putting it into the water will work, you run the risk of having one end overcooked and the other end hard with singed tips.

Bottom line: chez Warpy it's whole pasta for company (which never happens these days) and broken pasta for just me.

[True Blue American]

26. I just ordered

A new set of pans with that basket in it! My old pans needed replacing.

[marti]

21. go right ahead

I also like to cut my salad lettuce with a knife and fork to make it bite size!

[procon]

22. I've cooked long spaghetti, including the classic

20 inch long variety, for 50+ years and I've never seen it come out unevenly cooked. The cooking time doesn't begin until all the pasta is in the pot and at a rolling boil, so it all cooks the same.

The whole point of serving long spaghetti is to get a full bite of pasta and marinara sauce. So the more pasta on Your fork, the more sauce it will hold. Linguine or fettuccine are my choices. Twirling a few long strands keeps the ends together and makes like a little nest to hold lots of sauce.

With the exception of feeding toddlers, I've never broken any pasta because it's harder to get the short pieces to stay on a fork. Those loose spaghetti ends are also dripping sauce which can splash on to your clothes or table cloth and they do not hold enough marinara sauce.

If you don't want to bother with long spaghetti noodles then just choose another type of pasta that's easier to eat and doesn't need to be chopped up. Try something like Farfalle, the Bow Tie Pasta, or the short, spiral pasta like gemelli, all will hold more sauce than short, broken spaghetti noodles.

[procon]

23. Cook long spaghetti noodles in a large skillet

instead of using a big Stockpot. The skillet needs a lot less water so it comes to a boil quicker. Depending on the size of the skillet, the noodles should be able to cook flat. It's also easier to stir and lift out the noodles with a spaghetti server.

[PennyK]

30. My mom broke it in half and so do I

And here's my dirty confession:
I don't chew it when I eat it...I just swallow it!

[SheltieLover]

31. I always break in half & now with Instant Pot, no more draining!

Like pasta "heaven!" 🤣🤣🤣

Would the Flying Spaghetti Monster approve?

[global1]

32. How Do You Make Pasta In An Instant Pot?....

I haven't attempted making pasta in my pressure cooker yet. I'd like to learn how.

[SheltieLover]

33. Easy & super yummy!

Saute onion, garlic & 1/2 of spices.

Add some water & scrape bits from bottom of pot. (ESSENTIAL! I just got ceramic insert pot & love it! $20 Target)

Add total of 3.5 cups water.

On top of meat, criss cross layers of pasta (prevents sticking together). Use ~12 oz pasta.

Dump either a 24 oz jar of sauce or a 24-28 oz can of crushed tomatoes & a 15-18 oz can of diced tomatoes.

Close lid.

Cooking times:

Whole wheat cook time 7-9 min.   Ip 5 min.

White spag cook time 9-11 min.  Ip 7 min

When done, wait 1 minute, then release steam manually.

It will look like soup initially. Stir thoroughly a few times over the next 10-15 min.

Add in 2nd half of spices, stir.

Perfect pasta!

Great site this recipe came from:

https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/instant-pot-spaghetti/

Enjoy!

On Edit: Cook on high heat. Sautee in olive oil. Do not stir u til done & try to keep tomatoes towards center of pot.

[global1]

34. Thanks For The Recipe....

We just made a pot of pasta the conventional way tonight for the New Year.

We'll use your recipe next weekend.

[SheltieLover]

35. Yw!

Got IP for xmas & have been cooking up a storm.

Made this spaghetti 2 days ago. Just finished it tonight.

Much as I love pasta, I've avoided cooking it because it takes forever, heats house up & I hate draining the pasta. No more! Yaaaay!

The sauce really permeates the pasta & truly sticks to the pasta!

The other meal I've made so far is a 3 lb turkey breast. Herbs de provence. Omg sooooo yummy! (Improvised spices as I live in knuckle-dragging region. Lol)

Perhaps we should start thread for recipies in cooking group?

Made brownies in IP today. Not a fan. More like fudge, which I love, but yucky. Edible though.

[Buzz cook]

36. Its your pasta do what you want.

As far as the pasta being too long, well, get a bigger pot.

The long pasta lends itself to different types of sauces and cooking methods.

Spaghetti Carbonara for instance, just works better with long pasta. If you want it shorter to eat use a table knife after you serve it.

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