From now on I’m chucking my pasta in cold water
7.9.2018
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Every child knows the golden pasta rules: Large pot, lots of water, wait for water to boil adding pasta. I’m sorry to burst your bubble but it’s all wrong.
My original plan was to write about the appalling «One Pot Pasta» trend and tear it to shreds. What I’m talking about is pasta you cook directly in the sauce. There is only one reason that could justify such an absurdity: If you have just one hotplate and one pot. But during my research I stumbled upon this article published by Serious Eats. In the article, food experimenter J. Kenji López-Alt claims that pasta turns out fine in little water. And it gets worse: It even turns out fine if you chuck it in a pot of cold water before bringing it to the boil. The only thing that comes to mind is «total blasphemy!». Blasphemy I had to try out for myself.
The experiment
To give me a basis of comparison, I used the following setup:
3 × 100 g Barilla fusilli pasta I each put in…
…a large pot with lots of boiling water
…a small pot with 5 dl of boiling water
…a small pot with 5 dl of cold water that is brought to the boil
All methods have one thing in common: Occasionally stir the pasta so it doesn’t stick.
For the cold-water method I bring the water to the boil, switch the hotplate off and put the lid on the pot. As soon as the water boils, I set the timer: 11 minutes is what it takes for the fusilli to be al dente – at least that’s what it says on the packet.
The two methods using little water are fast. My tried and tested method with a large pot takes about five minutes longer. But good things come to those who wait. And I’m confident that I’ll expose the cold-cooked pasta in my blind taste test.
The big fat pasta lie
I’m thrown off guard and get nervous. How can this be? All three versions I taste are perfectly al dente pasta. No matter how hard I try, I can’t tell which pasta was prepared in cold water. Even after rolling the fusilli around in my mouth like a disappointing French kiss – there’s no difference in texture. Just nothing. Pasta in cold water actually works. My whole world comes crashing down; I seriously doubt my own existence. And yes, I’ll do it again. I even plan on trying out this method that involves soaking dry pasta overnight and then cooking it for just one minute.
But before you pasta purists start hyperventilating: There are a few points to consider for the cold-water revolution to work.
A small amount of cold water doesn’t work for longish pasta…
Long pasta, such as spaghetti or noodles, is difficult to stir if it's sitting in just a small amount of water. The result: One fat sticky cable of spaghetti. For this type of pasta there’s no way around a large pot with lots of boiling water.
…nor does it work for fresh pasta
At worst, fresh pasta dissolves in cold water. In any case, it will turn out mushy and goopy. After all, you’re only meant to cook fresh pasta for a few minutes.
Salt the water!
This goes without saying but I’m still going to say it: Salt your water before you put the pasta in. Nobody likes unsalted pasta. Without salt, the cold-water method will go wrong after all.
The lowdown
It’s as if the bible has been rewritten: Never in my life would I have thought that I would ever prepare a staple food such as pasta in a different way. But from now on, I’m going for the cold-water method. It saves time, energy and water. But «One Pot Pasta» will still not be happening in my life.
Want to find out about the latest kitchen trick? Simply follow my author profile.
I know it’s been a shock but everybody calm down now. This endless loop of fusilli being produced might help.
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
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