Cooking pasta - to eat later/cold?

[Nix]

You should make some of that tomato and herb pasta sauce (pizza hut style). I could eat a bucket of that stuff - so tasty.

 

[gurusan]

Cook it more than a bit al dente, then when you are ready to eat it nuke it with a cover on. That way when you reheat it won't be too overdone. Just make sure to keep it covered otherwise not only will the pasta dry out and become rubbery, but you will have exploding pasta sauce all over the microwave.

 

[LukeTW]

you should let hot pasta stand to cool (uncovered) first before putting it in the fridge

Make sure you do this.

 

[krooton]

Make sure you do this.

Cooling under tap is quicker and more environmentally damaging

 

[Gackt]

Pour a little olive oil over the pasta as it is cooling and mix well. Prevents it sticking together.

I add a little olive oil to the water when it's boiling, and it has the same effect. If you have poor water, with scum and the like, it tends to draw it into one place for easy removal.

 

[oli collett]

I never add salt to my pasta, and use fusilli for pasta salads.

Then you ought to start

It doesn't just season the pasta, the sodium bonds strengthen it, giving it a better texture that's less mushy.

 

[gurusan]

not salting the pasta water is the greatest sin!

 

[Scam]

Make sure you do this.

It won't kill you or anything if you do. The only reason not to put hot food in a fridge is because it'll warm up the fridge and the other food that's inside it.

I never add salt to my pasta, and use fusilli for pasta salads.

Unsalted pasta is disgusting

 

[krooton]

Unsalted pasta is disgusting

Well I'm not eating it by itself, the salad cream kinda overpowers any possible saltiness of the pasta

 

[oli collett]

Well I'm not eating it by itself, the salad cream kinda overpowers any possible saltiness of the pasta

Correctly salted pasta won't taste salty though. You've still got the problem in that it's going to be soggy.