Is there a way to pre-cook pasta, then boil it a little more just before serving?!


Question: I think I've seen this on a cooking video or maybe in a restaurant. They have a serving of partially cooks plain pasta, and plunge it into boiling water just before serving. I want to serve pasta that is hot and freshly made, but no have to boil it for the full 20 minutes while I'm dealing with my guests. I won't go into the reasons, but microwaving isn't an option.

If I CAN pre-cook, then how do I store it? How long ahead of time can I pre-cook it? Thanks.


Answers: I think I've seen this on a cooking video or maybe in a restaurant. They have a serving of partially cooks plain pasta, and plunge it into boiling water just before serving. I want to serve pasta that is hot and freshly made, but no have to boil it for the full 20 minutes while I'm dealing with my guests. I won't go into the reasons, but microwaving isn't an option.

If I CAN pre-cook, then how do I store it? How long ahead of time can I pre-cook it? Thanks.
Yes, you can pre cook or "par" cook pasta.
The idea is to get the pasta into the firmness you desire and have it hot at the same time. There are different ways of doing this depending on the dish.
For casserole dishes like baked macaroni and cheese, you simply cook pasta to about half or 3/4 done. It should be rubbery, springy and very chewy but have no hard or dry pieces. You simply strain and drain with your colander as usually, but also rinse in cold water to instantly reduce heat and stop cooking. Then you can assemble you cheeses and other ingredients without fear of over cooking you pasta.

Another example is par cooking pasta to almost the desired tenderness, then "flashing" it in boiling water for one minute to get it hot again before serving. The easiest way to do this is with a steaming pot and strainer. ( the kind where the strainer fits inside the pot.) Put the strainer in the pot first, then fill 3/4 full with water and boil your pasta like normal. Then, when it is close to being done, pull the strainer out but leave the pot with the water on the stove. When all your sauces and other ingredients are ready, just put the pasta back in the pot of water for a minute... not much longer! Then your pasta will be piping hot and not over done.

Ahem... speaking of over done...

20 minutes is WAY too long to boil even most commercial pasta. Even the hardest, driest pasta will cook to mushy goo in twelve minutes. That's a shame... And fresh pasta? That will cook in as little as a minute, usually no more than four minutes.
Preparing pasta "al dente' ( to the teeth) means keeping some of the delightful texture and chewiness that makes pasta so satisfying. You will feel more full, your sauces will reveal themselves ( because you spend more time chewing) and pasta seems more gratifying when it is NOT overdone.
Yes, boil it until it's nearly done. Drain most of the water and cover. Put it in the refrigerator and store. Add water and finish cooking until done approximately 10-20 minutes before you want to serve it.
Not only does it finish cooking in a small amount of time but it will be hot when you serve your guests. It would probably be best if you cooked it no later then the morning you are to serve it.
You can pre cook your pasta al dente the night before and store it in the fridge over night. Store in plastic bag(s) or in tupper ware.

Then the next day all you have to do is heat it through in your sauce.

In restaurants they cook it and portion it and then they just put into whatever suace they are making for it.
As mentioned above, It is possible to par-cook the pasta and then simply reheat it in boiling water once you're ready to serve - but if you can, I would avoid doing so. Pasta fresh from the boil is way more appetising than reheated pasta!

Normally, you should cook pasta for no longer than about 10 minutes, depending on the variety. I'd say that because you don't have to watch over the pasta as it cooks, you should be free to leave the kitchen to 'deal with your guests' and then return just in time to remove the pasta from the boil.

If you genuinely do not have the time to cook dried pasta though, then I would suggest that a better alternative to par-cooking would be to buy 'fresh' pasta. You'll find this in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets, and it cooks in a fraction of the time - usually about 2-3 minutes.




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