Cooking Time:

Don’t rely on the package to give you the correct cooking time (this is only a guideline). Start timing when the water returns to a boil. Most pastas cook in 8-12 minutes.

Stir at the Beginning:

After you add the pasta to the boiling water, stir with a long wooden spoon (stirring prevents pasta from sticking to each other and from sticking to the bottom and the edge of pan). Frequent stirring with a long wooden spoon or fork while the pasta is cooking will help the pasta to cook

Cook the pasta, uncovered, at a fast boil.

*NOTE: Once you have added your pasta, do not cover the pot with a lid. You can regulate the heat so the pasta/water mixture doesn’t foam up and over the pot sides. Lower it the tiniest bit, and everything should be under control.

Use a Large Pot:

To cook pasta properly, pasta needs a lot of water. A too-small pot and too little water encourages the pasta to clump and stick together, thus cooking unevenly. For a pound (16 ounces) of pasta, you will want a pot that holds at least 5 or 6 quarts of water.

Use plenty of water and use only COLD or COOL Water:

Using plenty of water helps to prevent pasta from sticking together by quickly washing away the exuded starch.
If your water contains any impurities, it will taint the finished flavor of the pasta. Filter your home water if possible.

Fill that big pot 3/4 full of COLD water or use at least one quart of cold water for every four ounces of dry pasta. Four quarts is a bare minimum per 12-ounce package of pasta,  six to eight quarts is ideal.

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