How long should pasta be cooked until done: in a saucepan, microwave or slow cooker?

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Pasta is a staple food for many. The Italians are considered the creators of this product, but the national cuisines of other nations can also boast of their presence. In Russia – thinly sliced ​​noodles. Housewives secretly competed among themselves: who would roll out the dough thinner or cut the noodles thinner. In Azerbaijan and Turkey, such products are khinkali (not to be confused with Georgian ones). This is thinly rolled out dough, cut into squares. And if you squeeze them in the middle, you get a bow. The advantage of this product is that when dried they can be stored until the next harvest. The main thing is that it is dry. The Italians managed to become famous for their pasta, so Italian names penetrated into Russian and other languages. Pasta, like macaroni, is another generalized name for this flour product.

The Barilla family enterprise, founded in 1877, is considered the leader in the production of Italian pasta. This oldest company sells its products to various countries of the European continent, including Russia. The company produces long pasta - spaghetti, thin pasta, nests. Short pasta includes: spirals, snails (shells), feathers, small and thin vermicelli - gossamer. Barilla produces pasta made from whole grain wheat, and the products from this manufacturer are best suited for preparing al dente.

For an experienced housewife, the question of how long to cook pasta is not worth it, but young ones sometimes get lost. There are many different types of pasta, and you want to cook them correctly so that they are delicious, so that you can surprise your loved ones and guests. They don’t know how to do it correctly.

How long to cook pasta depending on its type

Most pasta cooks for the same amount of time. But there may be nuances that depend on the grade of flour, the presence of eggs in the dough and the shape of these products. Egg pasta is yellowish in color. The thicker the walls of the pasta, the longer they cook. The manufacturer indicates on the package how many minutes this flour product should be cooked. The basic rules are indicated in the table.

Is pasta healthy?

For many, pasta is the first step to weight gain. However, in Italy this dish is consumed daily, along with various sauces and gravies. And yet, Italians look great.

The secret lies in the quality of the pasta. The most useful pasta is the one made from durum wheat.

It contains a large amount of nutrients and vitamins:

• cellulose;
• amino acids;
• potassium, iron;
• complex carbohydrates;
• vitamins B, E;
• phosphorus;
• manganese.

How to cook pasta on the stove

Boil pasta at the rate of 80 grams per family member. Thus, if there are 3 people in a family, take 240-250 grams, or half a pack of 0.5 kg. The pan must be at least 2 liters. Ideally, 2.5-3 liters of water.

In general, for cooking pasta with rinsing, the calculation for 100 grams of product is 1 liter of water.

Aldente

Aldente pasta is made from durum wheat. This is not an undercooked product; its core should not be raw. But you shouldn’t overcook it either. Al dente literally translates to “to the teeth.” But this does not mean that the paste should stick. When eating al dente pasta, you should feel the product's slight firmness. In Russia, mainly soft varieties of wheat are grown, so when cooking, the result is only an imitation of al dente due to undercooking of the pasta.

If the product is from soft varieties, then it should be cooked for 2-3 minutes less. Al dente pasta is used in salads.

In a saucepan

Pasta should be placed in boiling salted water. Under no circumstances should you pour them all out at once. Otherwise, they will stick together and turn into lumps. The pasta should be added to the water gradually so that the boiling water has time to envelop the shells, pasta, noodles, depending on what you are cooking. It is advisable to stir them when pouring them into the pan so that they do not group together. Then they won’t have time to stick together. If pasta is washed after cooking, oil is poured into the pan, which is a waste of product.

Important.

The main thing is not to overcook the product. Overcooked, they, of course, swell and increase in volume, but at the same time their taste is lost.

In a slow cooker

As a rule, a multicooker has modes. Some manufacturers have provided a “pasta” or “pasta” mode. If this is not the case, then this flour product can be cooked in the following modes: soup, steaming. The time is set as specified by the paste manufacturer. Approximately 10 minutes. First, the water should boil, then it should be salted to taste. Spicy lovers can afford to add pepper or their favorite seasonings to the water. Then pasta is placed: spaghetti, cones, or bows. It depends on what you want to cook.

In the microwave

The microwave makes cooking pasta easy. First pour the paste into the container for preparing pasta, which must be poured with boiling water in the ratio of 2 cups of water per glass of product. During the cooking process, the water will be completely absorbed by the pasta and there will be no need to drain anything. Therefore, in addition to salt, you can add ghee to the water. Turn on the microwave for 7-10 minutes, depending on the type of pasta and the recommended cooking time. If you plan to season the pasta and bring it to readiness, then reduce the cooking time by 3-4 minutes.

When the pasta is done (or half-cooked), you can season it with seasoning. One of the options:

• A little grated cheese, 1 egg, pour half a glass of milk and beat the prepared mixture in a blender. Pour it over the pasta and microwave for the remaining 2-4 minutes. Get a cheese and egg casserole.
• Another option is to fry finely chopped onions, carrots, bell peppers with tomatoes or tomato sauce. Also pour this seasoning over the pasta and keep the finished dish in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Features of the preparation of some types

Despite the simplicity of preparing all pasta, some types of products require a special approach, because... do not fit into the framework of “ordinary” options. For example, improperly welded sockets will change their appearance and lose their individuality. And classic spaghetti, if cooked incorrectly, can easily be broken or formed into a large lump.

Cooking nests correctly

Many are attracted by the original appearance of these pasta, reminiscent of bird's nests. However, careless handling can easily turn them into ordinary vermicelli. To keep them in their original form, you can cook them in two ways.

Frying method

Prepare a small, clean tin jar without a lid. Grease the inside of the mold with oil. Put a nest in it. The dish itself is prepared in a frying pan with oil. To do this, pour vegetable oil and butter into the frying pan in equal portions. Heat the fat and fry the nests over very low heat, turning them over time.

Place the finished nests on a plate and stuff with any filling.

Cooking method

For lovers of the traditional method of cooking, you need to stock up on a wide pan. Fill the bowl with water so that it covers the nests by 2-3 cm. Salt the liquid brought to a boil to taste. Place the pasta in the pan, being careful not to let it turn over while cooking.

Cook them in a saucepan according to package instructions. Creamy mushroom sauce with cheese is perfect for ready-made nests.

Cooking perfect spaghetti

Served as the only or second course for lunch or dinner, spaghetti requires some nuances during its preparation.

Unlike short pasta, spaghetti requires maximum water. Therefore, it is worth boiling them in liquid, taking it at the rate of up to 10 units. The cooking pan must also be of the appropriate size.

Long pasta should not be broken. It is enough to just leave them in the pan. After 1-1.5 minutes, the ends will soften in the water and all products can be lowered to the bottom.

The cooking time for spaghetti is usually indicated on the package, but should not exceed 8 minutes. But you should cook black spaghetti in half the amount of time, up to 3-4 minutes.

Since spaghetti is not ordinary pasta, rinsing after cooking does not apply to it. With the right approach, based on the opinion of Italians, long pasta should be slightly hard. The best way to check readiness is to taste it. The finished products should be laid out using special tongs, lifting them high. This way it will be easy to separate the portions from each other. And the best addition to them will be a variety of sauces that can be prepared using the water in which the pasta was cooked.

What sauces and gravies can be prepared for pasta?

You can make minced meat fried with onions. This seasoning is prepared in Azerbaijan for homemade khinkali . It will suit factory bows - farfalle, horns, spirals.

The onion is fried until light golden brown in melted butter. Minced meat is also added there. During frying over low heat, it is necessary to stir, not allowing the onion to burn. You can add 1 medium-sized tomato or a little water from the boiled pasta to the seasoning, and cover with a lid for a few minutes so that the minced meat is thoroughly cooked and does not remain raw.

Advice.

When serving, pasta is first placed on a plate, and minced meat with onions and melted butter is placed on top.

You can make matsoni sauce with garlic. Garlic seasoning is also suitable for any pasta. 1-2 cloves of garlic must be crushed in a bowl and mixed with a small amount of salt. Pour a glass of matsoni and let it sit for half an hour. A bowl with sauce is served on the table and added to the plate with pasta - 1-2 tbsp. spoons.

Simple pasta recipes for everyone

Having understood the rules for preparing pasta, it’s time to create complete, nutritious and tasty dishes for the whole family using them. Meat and vegetable options will appeal to avid gourmets and convinced vegetarians.

Navy pasta with stewed meat

A quick, hearty, quick dinner can feed the whole family, saving time for relaxation. A camping or country version with stewed meat instead of minced meat is simple and ingenuous. Mix pasta boiled in any way with the contents of the jar and serve. But even such a simple “navy” option can be slightly diversified, giving it bright flavor notes.

Required ingredients:

• horns - 200 gr;
• stew (350 g) - 1 can;
• onion - 1 pc.

How to cook:

1. Cook the horns in salted water, without cooking them for 1-2 minutes. Drain the water, leaving some at the bottom of the pan.
2. When choosing stew, focus on the quality of the product, not the price. Melt the fat from the can in a frying pan. Chop the onion into small cubes and fry it in melted fat until golden brown.
3. Place the stewed meat pieces on the horns. Cook the pasta and stew over low heat until the fat is completely dissolved and the liquid boils.
4. Place the onion in the dish and mix everything carefully. A hearty and quick dinner for 2-3 people is ready.

Useful tips for cooking and consuming pasta

To prepare the dish, just follow simple rules:

1. For pasta, it is important that it is cooked in boiling water over good heat. If the heat is low and the water is simmering rather than boiling, the pasta will become soggy and soft.
2. Salt is taken at the rate of 10 grams (1 teaspoon or a third of a tablespoon) per 1 liter of boiling water.
3. When draining the cooked pasta, reserve some for sauce or to make the dish juicier. If the paste turns out to be dry, just half a glass of broth will revive it. Some housewives use pasta water (without oil, of course) to starch cotton or linen linen and knitted napkins.
4. Don't cook pasta ahead of time. After standing for a day and then reheating, it becomes dry and unappetizing. If borscht or buckwheat porridge sits in the refrigerator and manages to brew within a day, and many people love just such a dish, then soups and side dishes made from pasta lose their taste. The pasta in the soup swells, becomes soft and unappetizing. Side dishes, on the contrary, become dry.

What types and varieties of pasta are best to choose?

Products marked “group A” are most valued. There may also be groups B, C. In this case, in all cases the highest grade of flour can be used.

In the homeland of pasta, there are several varieties of pasta in shape:

• long (noodles, spaghetti, spaghettini, tagliatelle, etc.);
• short (fusilli or spirals, pene are tubes, cannelloni, etc.);
• small for soups (stelline - stars, anelli - rings, ditalini orecchiete);
• figured (farfalle, conchiglie, gemelli, campanelle, gnocchi, etc.);
• filled pasta (capeletti, tortelloni, agnolotti, etc.).

It doesn’t really matter what kind of pasta you take: small, large, long, nests.

The main features of quality products are:

• the surface must be smooth;
• all elements must be the same;
• the color should be uniform cream or light yellow;
• small black dots - remnants of ground wheat grain shells, which are beneficial for the body, should be present in small quantities;
• the pack should not contain flour or broken paste elements.

Interesting Facts

1. If you undercook the pasta a little, the number of calories will decrease.
2. To prevent the products from sticking, pour in a spoonful of oil.
3. Don't forget to stir the contents of the dish regularly.
4. Pasta is boiled in salted water (1 tablespoon of salt per 3 liters of water).
5. Do not cover the pan during cooking.
6. Rinse the overcooked pasta with cold water in a colander.
7. The horns are boiled for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. To prepare the straws, 13 minutes are enough;
9. Nests are ready in 8 minutes
10. If you plan to cook pasta for a complex dish, reduce the cooking time by as much as it will take during further cooking.
11. Flour products increase 3 times during cooking. For 2 large servings of a side dish, take only 100 grams of pasta. They are boiled in 2 liters of water.

“Tools” for cooking: saucepan, microwave, multicooker

When cooking in a saucepan, it is important to ensure that the paste does not stick to the walls and bottom. To do this, you need to stir the pasta during cooking or add a small amount (20-30 g) of butter (or olive).

To cook in the microwave, you need to pour the pasta into a deep plate, add boiling water, with a margin of 1-2 cm above the top level of the pasta. Then 1 tbsp. l oil, pinch of salt. The container is covered with a plate. Power - 800 W, time - 5 minutes. After the expiration date, the paste is placed in a colander.

To boil in a multicooker, you will need the “Pilaf” or “Steam” mode. Place pasta in a bowl, add a spoonful of butter and add water. The liquid should be 1-2 cm higher. The cooking time in this case is 12-13 minutes.

Take note

When cooking, constant stirring is recommended, since starch will come out of the pasta during cooking, which helps the pasta stick together. Frequent stirring prevents the pasta from becoming sticky and from burning.

Washing pasta is done if it is made from soft wheat.

If the paste still sticks together, you can correct the situation. To do this, after washing the product, add a small amount of oil.

If you know about the features of choosing and cooking different types of pasta, its preparation will be a simple and enjoyable process. Moreover, you can prepare interesting dishes from it, the taste of which can be varied by adding sauces, vegetables, and herbs.

Cooking pasta in a slow cooker

Fill the device's bowl with water. For 100 grams of products, take 0.5 liters of water. Add a little salt. Select the “Paste” mode and wait for the water to boil.

The device will notify its owner with a sound signal that it is time to add pasta. Some devices do not have the above-mentioned mode, so you can use other options - “Porridge” or “Soup”. Once the water boils, add the pasta. You can add a little vegetable oil to prevent the flour products from sticking together. Cook with the lid open. Don't forget to stir the contents constantly. If there is some water left in the multicooker bowl, use a colander.

Oh yeah, casserole!

It’s unlikely that anyone can be surprised by an ordinary pasta side dish today. But casserole is a completely different matter. Preparing this treat is easy. You can even use leftover boiled pasta from dinner. In principle, products of various shapes and grades are suitable. But the casserole will be much more tender if you add vermicelli in the form of a web.

Ingredients:

• vermicelli – 200 g;
• pasteurized milk – ½ cup;
• fresh champignons – 200 g;
• chicken breast – 150-200 g;
• the bulb is the head;
• selected chicken eggs - three pieces;
• Russian cheese – 100 g;
• ground allspice, salt;
• softened butter.

Preparation:

1. We start, as usual, by preparing everything necessary. If, for example, you have boiled pasta left after dinner, you can use it.

2. Chop the peeled onion into small cubes.

3. Heat a little refined vegetable oil in a frying pan. Sauté the onion until softened.
4. In the meantime, peel the film from the chicken breast, rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a napkin.
5. Cut the chicken into cubes and add it to the pan. Mix with onions.

6. While the fillet is fried, wash and dry the champignons. Cut the mushrooms into plates or cubes. Add to the pan.

7. Mix with the rest of the ingredients and wait until the excess moisture has completely evaporated.
8. After this, add salt and ground allspice. Bring the mushrooms to readiness and set aside from the stove.

9. Boil vermicelli in salted water for 3-5 minutes from the moment the liquid boils again.

10. Place the boiled vermicelli in a colander to drain excess water.
11. Break raw chicken eggs into a separate bowl.

12. Add pasteurized milk here.

13. Add grated Russian cheese.

14. Using a mixer or blender, thoroughly beat these components so that the filling acquires a uniform consistency.

15. Divide the boiled pasta into two equal parts. Place the first portion on the bottom of the mold.

16. We distribute chicken meat with mushrooms on top.

17. Place the remaining noodles in the next layer.

18. Pour the prepared sauce over our casserole and place it in the oven.

19. Set the oven temperature to between 180-200°. We bake for literally a third of an hour.

20. It is advisable to eat the casserole warm. You can add a little more greenery.