Prevent Soft and Mushy Pasta

To prevent soft, mushy pasta, make sure the cooking water is at a full boil before adding the pasta. Also, make sure to keep it at a steady boil throughout the cooking time.

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Prevent Soft and Mushy Pasta

Over cooking the pasta will also cause the pasta to become soft. For perfectly cooked pasta see cooking tips below.

When cooking fresh pasta, test often for doneness because it cooks quickly.
Use plenty of water to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Adding salt to the water when cooking pasta will help firm the pasta and bring out its flavor.
To bring pasta water to a boil more quickly, cover the pot with a lid while you are heating the water. Do not cover the pot while cooking the pasta.
To prevent pasta from boiling over, place a wooden spoon or fork across the top of the pot while the pasta is boiling.
If combining different pastas, be sure to select shapes and sizes that are similar so that they will cook in the same amount of time.

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