Learning to cook pasta. Al dente is ...

Prepare the paste is not as easy as it seems at first glance. It would Seem, it is just necessary to throw macaroni in boiling water, to prevent and wait, when they will be ready. However many mistresses can not properly weld them. At first they are not ready, just a little bit - and that's all, the pasta is overcooked and hopelessly spoiled. But how to determine the readiness of the paste? Are there any secrets to cooking delicious pasta? Of course yes! And they are quite accessible to an ordinary housewife.

"Correct" pasta

Before you start cooking pasta, you still need to learn how to choose it. After all, it's right to cook exactly to the state of al dente. It still depends on the quality of the pasta used. The fact is that when cooking them, starch is released into the water. For this reason, the paste is boiled. The more it will be in pasta, the harder it will be to cook the "undercooked" pasta.

What determines the amount of starch in it? Of course, from the flour used. For real Italian pasta take only the one that is made from durum wheat. On domestic shelves you can find products of different quality. Only the paste that is labeled with the letter "A" is suitable. It is somewhat more expensive, but after cooking it keeps the form better and does not boil.

Preparation of pasta

Buy the "right" pasta - it's still half the battle. It is necessary to weld them to the required degree of readiness. There is nothing complicated and intricate in this, but many people neglect simple rules. As a result, instead of a delicious dinner, you get a porridge of pasta. So, what is the secret of cooking pasta al dente? The most important thing is to observe proportions. For every 100 grams of pasta take 1 liter of water, 10 grams of salt and 20 ml of olive oil.

First you need to boil the water in a large saucepan, then add salt and pasta. Stir several times so that they do not stick together and cook until ready. But how much time it takes will depend on the variety of pasta. Usually time is indicated on the package. 1-2 minutes before the expected readiness, the pasta should be tasted. As soon as they seem slightly undercooked, thrown back to the sieve and drained. Season with olive oil. Pasta is ready!

Al dente is ...

Many people, of course, know this term. However, not everyone understands to the very end what he means. Literally from the Italian is translated as "on the tooth." This name is due to the fact that the speed of the cooked pasta is determined only by taking a sample. If at the cracking paste a little spring, then it's ready and it's time to drain the water.

However, many, despite this, still manage to cook pasta wrong. Some are undercooked, others digest. The fact is that the degree of readiness of aldente is a very fine line between raw, finished and spoiled paste. The account goes literally for seconds. So you need to try the pasta "on the tooth." They should easily crack, but at the same time stay a little firm inside. Being able to choose and cook the pasta correctly, you can try to cook it with different sauces.

Carbonara paste

One of the favorite Italian dishes from pasta is the carbonara paste. It is made from the available products, but it results in a very satisfying dinner. So, you first need to prepare the sauce. For it, chop 2-3 cloves of garlic, it is best to cut it finely. 150 grams of bacon or ham cut into thin strips. On olive oil, fry garlic a little, add bacon to it and continue frying until it is browned.

Cheese, ideally Parmesan, grate on a fine grater. It will need about 50 grams. 3 whisk with a whisk together with salt and ground pepper. Do not whip. Add 150 ml of cream and grated Parmesan. All mix well. Boil the spaghetti until the al dente state. Carbonara paste will be ready after all 3 ingredients are mixed: fried bacon, cream sauce and boiled spaghetti.

Macaroni with cheese and tomato

Perhaps, this is the simplest recipe, where paste is used. A recipe with a photo of each step is not even needed to make it. For 4 people, you need 300 grams of any pasta (penne, farfalle, etc.), 200 grams of cheese, 2-3 tomatoes, salt, pepper and vegetable oil for frying.

Boil the paste as indicated on the package. Fold in a colander and drain well. Any cheese of solid varieties should be rubbed on a fine grater. Tomatoes cut into cubes (if desired, you can remove the peel, dropping them for a few seconds in boiling water) and fry in olive oil. Add them pasta, salt, pepper and cheese at the end. All mix well and warm up over a small fire for another 3-4 minutes. What can be simpler and tastier than the classics? That's right, nothing.

Spaghetti bolognese

Another favorite recipe from Italy is the spaghetti bolognese. It is very important that in this dish the pasta is exactly al dente. This has a very strong effect on the final taste, as the meat sauce does not go well with the overcooked pasta. It is with its preparation and you need to start.

Prepare vegetables for bolognese sauce. Carrots grate, a bulb and 2-3 stalks of celery cut into small cubes. On olive oil fry onions with 500 grams of ground beef, add 2-3 tablespoons of mashed tomatoes in their own juice. Then put the carrots and celery, fry all together for another 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining tomatoes (just 400 grams) and simmer on low heat until cooked. Salt and pepper only at the end of cooking, so as not to spoil the taste of the sauce.

Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti. You can serve them by mixing with the sauce, or you can separately, as you like this paste. The recipe with a photo of this dish suggests a different serve. Although very effective look spaghetti, laid in the form of a nest with meat sauce in the middle.