Do you ever wonder why your pasta dishes don’t turn out just right? Today I have nine mistakes you might be making when cooking pasta.
- You overcook or undercook your noodles. Follow box directions, but check a minute before directed time for doneness. Pasta should have a subtle bite to it, referred to as al dente.
-You aren’t stirring the pasta. Don’t stir constantly, but do stir occasionally to keep individual strands of noodles to separate. It isn’t necessary to add oil to the water.
-You don’t salt the pasta water, or you salt it too much. Salting the pasta water allows the dough to absorb salt while cooking.
-You don’t properly cool the pasta. Don’t run cold water over pasta to cool it down. This rinses off the natural starch of the pasta. If not using immediately or making a chilled salad, lightly oil pasta and cool for 30 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator.
-You don’t cook pasta in sauce. Cooking pasta in sauce allows the flavors to be absorbed by the pasta.
-You add the pasta to the water before it is boiling. The rapid bubbles will keep the pasta from sticking or settling. The dough will cook more evenly.
-You don’t boil enough water. The amount of water called for may seem excessive, but when pasta is added to water, it lowers the temperature and will stall cooking time.
-You use fresh water to loosen the sauce. Always use pasta water because it has more flavor and seasoning. The residual starch will help thicken and bind the sauce to the pasta.
-You ignore portion sizes. Pasta is thought of to be too high in carbs, but a 2 ounces or 1 cup equals 75 to 100 calories, which is much less than bread and some meats and cheeses.
Today, I have some side dishes with one of my favorite pastas – fettuccine. I hope today’s tips will be helpful. Thanks for reading.
GARLIC SOUR CREAM PASTA
8 ounces dried fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Prepare pasta according to directions. Drain and place in a bowl to keep warm. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, and add flour, stirring until bubbly for about 1 minute. Add the half and half and continue stirring until sauce thickens. Add the Parmesan cheese, and stir until melted. Add the sour cream and salt and pepper. Mix with fettuccine, and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.
-Great side for anything cooked on the grill.
LEMON GARLIC CREAM FETTUCCINE
3 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
2 minced cloves of garlic
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
Sauce:
¼ cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 minced cloves garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces cubed cream cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain. In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, parsley and garlic.
For sauce: In a large skillet, heat butter and saute onion. Add garlic and lemon zest. Add whipping cream, salt, pepper and cream cheese until melted. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Add pasta, tomatoes and parsley to skillet. Top with previously prepared lemon zest, parsley and garlic. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Some cooked shrimp is a great addition to this dish.
FETTUCCINE WITH GARLIC BUTTER MUSHROOM SAUCE
8 ounces cooked fettuccine
¼ stick butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sour cream
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fresh or dried parsley
In a large skillet, saute’ garlic and mushrooms in butter until soft. Add prepared pasta and sour cream, and turn off heat. Add Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
- Also great with some chopped, cooked chicken added to the recipe.
- Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
