Tips For Cooking Perfect Al Dente Pasta

Italian cuisine is one of the favorites of ethnic food choices in the United States – and pasta’s unique versatility is one of the many reasons why.

Although the flavors of Italian cooking vary widely depending on the region, there is one thing that students learning to cook can agree on – you should always aim for al dente pasta.

According to Bon Appetit magazine, the term al dente translates to “to the bite” in Italian. This means that the ideal stage for pasta in the boiling process is when it’s tender and soft on the outside, but still firm when eaten. They gave some great cooking tips to help you work toward al dente cuisine:

1. Stir the pasta right away when you add the pieces into the water. This will prevent the pasta from sticking together.

2. Once the pasta begins to soften, try a piece of it. If you see a starchy middle on the inside of the pasta, this means that you need to continue boiling. Although it’s important to keep an eye on pasta while its boiling, it usually takes just 7 to 8 minutes to have perfect al dente pasta.

3. After boiling, drain the pasta in a colander. Do not rinse the pasta, as the coating will help whatever sauce you use to stick.