Revolutionizing pasta: Eco‑friendly techniques sans water
According to the instructions on the packaging, pasta should be cooked in hot salted water. The manufacturer specifies how many minutes it takes to cook to al dente and when it becomes softer. However, in some cases, alternative methods for cooking spaghetti yield much better results.
Pasta in cheese sauce or traditional mushroom soup with shell pasta tends to turn out much better when you slightly deviate from the manufacturer's recommendations. In these and many other scenarios, you can cook pasta without water. This method is beneficial not only for the flavour of the dish but also for being eco-friendly and economical.
How to cook pasta without water?
In some cases, you can add dry pasta directly into the prepared dish. It will soften just as it would in water. Additionally, the starch that would typically dissolve in water will thicken the dish, providing it with a pleasant texture.
This method may seem unusual, but it proves effective, particularly in dishes with a lot of sauce or watery vegetable soups, especially those lacking in flavour. Furthermore, by adding pasta directly to the sauce or soup, you eliminate the need to use flour.
Will pasta without water work in every dish?
Cooking pasta in sauce or soup offers significant savings in water and energy. An added benefit is that you don't have to consider what to do with the pasta water. However, this method does not work in every situation. To make the pasta soft, it needs an ample amount of liquid to absorb. If the sauce is already thick, cooking pasta in it may only leave a bland aroma.
The importance of cooking time for pasta
The cooking time for pasta without water is the same as in the standard procedure. Once you exceed this time, the pasta will become increasingly softer and will absorb more moisture, until the dish turns into an unappealing mush.
Pasta left in soup or sauce will continue to swell even after it's removed from the stove and placed in the refrigerator. Therefore, this method only works if you do not plan on having leftovers for the next day.
