Does it make a difference if you add pasta to cold or boiling water? Italian chefs reveal the truth
PASTA is a staple in the British kitchen and most of us enjoy the Italian favourite without messing up too badly.
But what's the best way to cook pasta?
There are two main methods - either putting the strands into water already at boiling point, or putting them in cold water and then putting on the heat.
In the , people who claim to be Italian chefs debated which way was correct - to boil the water first, or not?
The professionals said that it makes absolutely no difference at what point you put the pasta in, which has caused a backlash from some of the other Redditors on the forum.
The main difference, said some, was that it can be quicker to cook pasta when put into cold water, but it's less reliable.
Others said that they found that if they put the pasta in cold water, it tends to either stick together, or stick to the bottom of the pan.
Reddit user Onlyaskredditonly kicked off the debate when he posted this question: "Does it really make a difference if you add the pasta before or after the water is boiling?
"I can't tell."
Another Redditor, Yellkaa explained: "I believe that mostly depends on pasta. We have a more expensive Italian-style pasta here and also a cheaper local variety.
"The local one not only sticks together even when you put it into boiling water but also kind of dissolves on the outside."
Desktop81 replied: "I worked at an Italian restaurant for six years and I totally disagree. Starting in cold water starts releasing the starch early and leaves a totally soggy coating on the outside of the pasta.
"However, when I'm at home I often do it this way and the soggy coating doesn't bother me at all.
"I don't think many people notice."
The topic then moved onto starch, and how important it is to NOT get rid of it. RibsNGibs said: "Ever since I read that NY Times article now 7-8 years ago, I've been putting just barely enough hot water to cook the pasta in, salt, turning the burner on, and throwing the pasta in immediately after the salt is dissolved.
"The biggest bonus is that you get concentrated starchy water that can be mixed in with the sauce."
This confused some as it seemed like the opposite to what they've always been told to do. Slouching2Bethlehem replied: "I find this very interesting, I always thought one of the most important reasons for draining pasta was to get rid of the starchy water... Am I wrong?"
Username_lookup_fail wrote: "It's a matter of personal preference. Some people like to add a small amount of the pasta water to the sauce.
"By using less water when cooking you end up with a much higher concentration of starch, and generally just use a slotted spoon to put the pasta right into the sauce.
"No draining or rinsing and I end up with enough of the pasta water in the sauce that way."
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