Cooking pasta - to eat later/cold?

Ice Rich

Ice Rich

Ice Rich

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3 Dec 2004
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Hi all,

Trying to get away from the standard sandwich I make and take to work. I've always really enjoyed pasta and regally have it with a carbonara sauce. I'm not really use to eating it cold though and only purchased 'pasta salads' a few times. Wouldn't mind preparing at home though and giving it a go.

Can anyone give me any tips or guidelines please for cooking pasta and storing it to eat later? It it best to avoid using a 'fresh egg pasta' (which i normally use) and use a different type? How long can you store these type of meals? If I were to cook a weeks supply on the weekend and store in fridge do you think they'd last to the following Friday?

Thanks,
 
For the later days you might have to freeze it, though not sure about it defrosting all the way through the morning in a bag lol.

I've made pasta (with meat) to eat later it should be fine. Do you have a microwave where you are at work?
 
might as well do it the night before, only takes like 10 or so mins, put it in the fridge then enjoy the next day, atleast it will always be fresh....ish or er ! :)
 
My aunt believes in bringing pasta to the boil then putting a lid on it but the heat off. Something to do with not breaking down the pasta so it falls apart?
 
it should be fine for a week, to keep it as fresh as possible I would divide it into portion sized tubs with lids after you have cooked it and allowed it to cool. This will save you opening it every day to get some out. I would definately go with the cooking several days worth at a time it's so much easier to stick to a regieme if the food is ready prepared in the fridge it's to easy to be not bothered one evening because the footy is on or something.
 
osc89er said:
My aunt believes in bringing pasta to the boil then putting a lid on it but the heat off. Something to do with not breaking down the pasta so it falls apart?
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Imo this makes it go rank.. Sort of really stodgy.

Theres no trick to cold pasta though. Cook it, wack whatever sauce with it, let it cool in a cupboard, put it in the fridge when its cooled down. Enjoy over the next few days.
 
If you wanted a weeks worth, I'd be cooking two portions on Sunday night for Mon, Tues and then three days worth on Tues night for Wed, Thurs, Fri. Wouldn't feel comfortable keeping any cooked food for more than three days.

Agree with what everyone else has said about letting it cool before popping it in the fridge.
 
When I make pasta salad (salad cream, tuna and sweetcorn), I cook the pasta for a bit longer than normal, 15 mins or so, as it will dry out a bit when in the fridge.

I then run the colander full of pasta under cold running tap to cool the pasta down, mix with all the ingredients, than stick in airtight tupperware for nommage the next day :)
 
Avoid a Carbonara sauce or anything that contains milk/cream/soft cheese as it will get very gloopy when cold. Look up some pasta salad recipies and make the sauce/dressing seperately and add it the morning before you want it.
 
krooton said:
When I make pasta salad (salad cream, tuna and sweetcorn), I cook the pasta for a bit longer than normal, 15 mins or so, as it will dry out a bit when in the fridge.

I then run the colander full of pasta under cold running tap to cool the pasta down, mix with all the ingredients, than stick in airtight tupperware for nommage the next day :)
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Same but with mayonaise. Make in the morning while eating breakfast and take to work.
 
I do this every week, tend to do it Sunday for five days otherwise I won't be arsed in mid-week. It tends to keep fresh in the fridge for three days but after that you're better off freezing it - it still tastes nice after defrostage.
 
I quite often save pasta meals too. Just in a plastic tub with a lid on in the fridge for up to two days normally.

Two or three minutes in a microwave if you have one at work will have it almost as good as the day it was cooked.
 
Looks like we may require a how to cook pasta thread. My advice:
Golden ratio for pasta: 100g pasta/ 10g salt in water / 1l of water

The more water the better, it stops it turning into a starchy, soggy mess, unless you want that effect. Salt is necessary for seasoning, it's a lot but it obviously doesn't all get absorbed. Don't bother putting oil in the water unless you're doing something like pre-cooking lasagne sheets.

Also remember "fresh egg pasta" and dried pasta are two very different things. Personally I never use fresh egg pasta, i'd make my own instead if I was doing something like ravioli, and i'd never use egg pasta for things like bolognase or carbonara, and I doubt any Italians would either.

If I was cooking some for the week, I'd use a very big pan, lots of salt and water in the above ratio and I'd use something like dried penne.
 
krooton said:
When I make pasta salad (salad cream, tuna and sweetcorn), I cook the pasta for a bit longer than normal, 15 mins or so, as it will dry out a bit when in the fridge.

I then run the colander full of pasta under cold running tap to cool the pasta down, mix with all the ingredients, than stick in airtight tupperware for nommage the next day :)
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That's exactly how I do it, And it's so nice the day after, Tomato\chilli\basil chicken pasta is another one I make and love.
 
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