No matter what kind of pasta dish you’re making, from pasta salad to a classic spaghetti carbonara, overcooking your pasta is the easiest way to ruin your meal. You may have heard of the term “al dente”, which literally translates as “to the tooth” in Italian. It’s the best descriptor of perfectly-cooked pasta, and everyone agrees that al dente pasta is the goal. How to achieve al dente pasta though? Now that can get trickier.
I trained in Italy, where I learned to cook pasta just until it was so al dente it was practically crunchy! My takeaway while there: Pay attention, keep a close eye, and listen to it—you’re sort of having a conversation with the pasta as it cooks. Here are some guidelines to know when your pasta is cooked properly without relying on the box instructions:
Stir The Pasta
This may sound silly, but with good practice you’ll start to understand what well-cooked pasta actually feels like in the pot. I typically like a wooden spoon for this, but you can use whatever you’ve got. As you’re stirring the pasta, you should be able to feel the heaviness of the pieces hit the side of your spoon. Once it starts to feel light and like it is barely hitting your spoon, this is the indicator that it’s getting closer to where you want it.
Cut The Pasta In Half
When you cut or break pasta in half (a thicker, tubular pasta like rigatoni typically works best to really see this), you’ll notice a whiter center on the inside. This indicates how far the water has penetrated into the pasta, so the more al dente the pasta, the thicker the white center will be; if it’s overcooked, you won’t see any white. I look for about a third to three-quarters of the center of the pasta to have that white center to know that my pasta is perfectly cooked.
Check The Pasta’s Outer Appearance
As pasta cooks it absorbs water, which will also slightly alter its color and shape. If the pasta is underdone, it will have a darker, more opaque appearance and remain close to the shape it was before it was cooked.. As the pasta cooks and absorbs more water, it will plump up and begin to turn pale. You’re looking for a happy medium between the two for that perfectly al dente bite.
Taste It, Of Course!
I love trying pasta as it’s cooking, especially when it’s seasoned well. It’s actually rare that I step away from a pot of simmering pasta, and I use my intuition to check it often as it cooks for all the above indicators. If you really can’t bear to ignore the box instructions or need to step away from the stove, I recommend setting a time for three minutes earlier than the lowest amount of time the box recommends, and taste it before you drain it. Remember: it’s especially important to remove your pasta on the earlier side if you’re finishing it in a sauce like Alfredo or arrabbiata.
