primitives try to water down pasta

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x68023

Oh my.

By the way, the mindless-in-the-head primitive did NOT donate to Skins's island.

Mind_your_head  (1000+ posts)      Thu Aug-20-09 01:47 AM
Original message
 
How Much Water Does Pasta Really Need?


<snip>

SOME time ago, as I emptied a big pot of pasta water into the sink and waited for the fog to lift from my glasses, a simple question occurred to me. Why boil so much more water than pasta actually absorbs, only to pour it down the drain? Couldn’t we cook pasta just as well with much less water and energy? Another question quickly followed: if we could, what would the defenders of Italian tradition say?

After some experiments, I’ve found that we can indeed make pasta in just a few cups of water and save a good deal of energy. Not that much in your kitchen or mine — just the amount needed to keep a burner on high for a few more minutes. But Americans cook something like a billion pounds of pasta a year, so those minutes could add up.....

....There’s one other dividend to cooking pasta in minimal water that I hadn’t anticipated: the leftover pasta water. It’s thick, but you can still easily ladle it out by tilting the pan. And it’s very pleasant tasting: not too salty, lots of body, and lots of semolina flavor. Whole-wheat pasta water is surprisingly delicious.

Italian recipes often suggest adding pasta water to adjust the consistency of a sauce, but this thick water is almost a sauce in itself. When I anointed a batch of spaghetti with olive oil and then tossed it with a couple of ladles-full, the oil dispersed into tiny droplets in the liquid, and the oily coating became an especially creamy one.

<snip>

Here's the full, very interesting NYT article (by the curious cook):

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/dining/25curi.html?pa...

------------------

Hat tip to no-hypocrisy's thread here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

I followed one of the links (curious cook ~

http://www.curiouscook.com/cook/home.php ~ on docsconz blog and found this very interesting article. Thought I would share.

Peace, love, good food, and happy cooking my fellow f*****s! And "thanks" to no-hypocrisy for sharing your food-loving friend's excellent blog site

The unfrocked warped primitive, who did NOT donate to Skins's island:

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Thu Aug-20-09 10:48 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. The theory behind drowning pasta in a huge amount of water is that the final product is less gummy from the dissolved starch.

However consider that restaurants keep one huge pasta pot boiling all through the service, adding extra water when needed, but dissolving starch in it with each successive order.

In other words, I don't think the excuse of avoiding gumminess is a valid one.

Besides, starchy pasta water can be a great addition to simple garlic, olive oil, and whatever on the pasta.

The imperious primitive, allegedly as rich as Croesus, who did NOT donate to Skins's island:

The empressof all   (1000+ posts)        Thu Aug-20-09 12:57 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. Has anyone experimented with flavoring their pasta water?

I know it "should" be as salty as the sea which does enhance the pasta flavor IMO. But have you ever tried adding garlic cloves or lemon peel? It adds a subtle flavor.

When I visited Italy several years ago I had a pasta that was boiled in red wine. It was delicious and a very pretty color.

On edit: I couldn't resist googeling for a recipe:

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/27/dining/the-minimalist... 

The wired gassy primitive, at the farmette up in Wisconsin, who did NOT donate to Skins's island:

grasswire  (1000+ posts)      Thu Aug-20-09 03:29 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
3. I have considered something 

...and that is adding dry pasta to an already simmering saucy dish. Maybe something that starts with a V-8 or tomato juice base. Let the pasta cook in the liquid of the dish. We do this with rice; why not with pasta?

One's surprised that the sparkling husband primitive, who did NOT donate to Skins's island, never showed up at this bonfire, given his liking for "pasta," but maybe the sparkling husband primitive's wife finally concocted the world's most-undetectable poison with her chemistry set.

[vesta111]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x68023

Oh my.

By the way, the mindless-in-the-head primitive did NOT donate to Skins's island.

The unfrocked warped primitive, who did NOT donate to Skins's island:

The imperious primitive, allegedly as rich as Croesus, who did NOT donate to Skins's island:

The wired gassy primitive, at the farmette up in Wisconsin, who did NOT donate to Skins's island:

One's surprised that the sparkling husband primitive, who did NOT donate to Skins's island, never showed up at this bonfire, given his liking for "pasta," but maybe the sparkling husband primitive's wife finally concocted the world's most-undetectable poison with her chemistry set.

Actually Frank this is a Darn good question and answer series.

When I pay top dollar for a good meal, I don't care if the chief is a midget or a voodoo priest.

There is this devise on the Ads Chanel that cooks pasta in 2 cups of boiling water---millions sold and people swear by them.

This was a good question and not to be disparaged.

[JohnnyReb]

Hey DUmmie, why use water at all....place pasta in mouth, wait several minutes until moist and soft, swallow. Think of the enviroment and how much you have decreased your carbon footprint.......and if you choke to death that's even better. 

Saving the planet, one DUmmie at a time.

[BEG]

Hey DUmmie, why use water at all....place pasta in mouth, wait several minutes until moist and soft, swallow. Think of the enviroment and how much you have decreased your carbon footprint.......and if you choke to death that's even better. 

Saving the planet, one DUmmie at a time.

Hehehehe...made me laugh

[Chris_]

Are you effing serious?  Saving energy by using less water to boil pasta?  This beats the tread off the properly inflated tires, doesn't it?  Not to mention authoring a five paragraph post on the subject.

[GOBUCKS]

Hey DUmmie, why use water at all....place pasta in mouth, wait several minutes until moist and soft, swallow. Think of the enviroment and how much you have decreased your carbon footprint.......and if you choke to death that's even better. 

Saving the planet, one DUmmie at a time.

That is a great idea! Algore, who is always one step ahead, having invented the internet, probably already does that to
save energy in his 20,000 sq. ft. air-conditioned palace.

There’s one other dividend to cooking pasta in minimal water that I hadn’t anticipated: the leftover pasta water. It’s thick, but you can still easily ladle it out by tilting the pan. And it’s very pleasant tasting: not too salty, lots of body, and lots of semolina flavor. Whole-wheat pasta water is surprisingly delicious.

I would suggest one further energy-saving tip to the DUmmy. After a pasta dinner, you should not only save the pasta water. Wash all the dishes in the sink, not a dishwasher, and save the dishwater. It has a nice citrus bouquet from the soap, with hints of semolina and tomato. It can all make for a delightful soup
at lunch the following day.

[thundley4]

The DUmmie has probably saved the pasta water to use in their bong.  It helps curb the munchies when they drink it afterwards.