How to stop spaghetti sticking?

[MummyPenguin]

My DH and DC's love a good spag bol but as soon as I serve up the spaghetti (the normal type boiled in the normal way with a little salt added to the water.) The bloody stuff sticks together as if glued. I prefer the wholemeal kind myself and it doesn't stick like the 'normal' type. DC's and DH don't like wholemeal though. So, how to stop it sticking? I know you can buy those Knorr cubes that you add to the water (do keep meaning to get some) but are they any good? Any other tips for a stick-free lovely bowl of spaghetti?

[flack]

more water when boiling, stir with a fork often while cooking, cook for shorter times.
But I like it sticky, so maybe not much help.

[libbyssister]

I find a bit of olive oil swished round the drained pasta helps, and it tastes yum

[Paschaelina]

A few drops of cooking oil in the water does the trick nicely.

[MummyPenguin]

I do stir it but perhaps not often enough? The olive oil sounds good, will give that a try.

[MummyPenguin]

I have given it to them before, they've eaten it but begrudgingly. It's much better for you.

[LindsayWagner]

Olive oil and stir often - like St Jamie says, you've got to treat pasta with respect. Also, don't buy the cheapo stuff (sorry). De Cecco is lovely.

[Tenebrist]

A bit of olive oil in the water and then another dose of olive oil once you've drained it. Agree with Lindsay about not being too cheap on the pasta (or the oil).

[MummyPenguin]

Worth buying the good stuff then

[cheeseandwhine]

Yes to olive oil but also, when you drain pasta, keep a bit of the drained water by and stir it back into the pasta.

[Seona1973]

I add a bit of vegetable oil to the water before the pasta is added and once you add the pasta give it all a stir. I also stir a few times during cooking.

[Lynsy]

I have always added a small amount of butter or margarine once I have drained it, mix it in then serve, that always stops mine sticking.

[winnybella]

Good quality pasta.
Olive oil in the boiling water.

Are you sure you're cooking it al dente?

[LittleMissBabybrain]

Rinse mine with boiling water from the kettle after I've drained it, I don't add oil and its never sticky. Agree with not buying cheap stuff

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Plenty of salted water. Once it's boiled, add pasta. Bring to the boil again, turn the heat down (to stop it boiling over) and then cook for 10 minutes until al dente.

Stir now and then.

No need to add oil at all.

Once cooked, drain in a colander/sieve, rinse with boiling water and serve immediately.

If it's sticking, it's over-cooked or you're leaving it to sit around before you serve it.

[Annunziata]

Only add oil to fresh pasta. If its fresh pasta you're using, blast some cold water through the colinder after its cooked to separate it all. 8 minutes is really all you need to cook dried pasta for.

[mablemurple]

no no no to oil in the water. Stir the pasta several times during cooking to make sure it's all separated. When cooked, drain in a sieve or colandar and let about two tablespoons of the cooking water drain back into the pan. Dump the pasta back in the pan and toss it a few times so that it all gets covered in the cooking water. Never sticks.

[couldtryharder]

Don't serve it in the English way of a pile of plain spag topped with sauce - as far as I know, no Italians serve pasta like that. The sauce should be mixed with the pasta (bolognase or any other), served and eaten immediately. Get everyone round the table before you serve it as if it's sitting round waiting for them it will clump.

[MummyPenguin]

All good tips, thanks. No, don't really do it al dente, perhaps that's where I'm going wrong, cooking it too long. Will try adding a little bit of water back to it and if I don't have much success with that, will try the olive oil thing. Nothing to losr really, have I?

[ZacharyQuack]

Oil in the cooking water is a complete waste of time. The oil will just sit on the top of the water, and will just drain down the sink.

Stir some oil, or butter or pasta sauce through the pasta immediately after draining it.

[anonymousbird]

Huge pan of water to let it really move around whilst cooking.

Oh, and don't completely drain, swirl round in a small amount of the cooking water plus teeny (really not a lot) dash of oil

[Bunbaker]

Another vote for a drop of olive oil added after the pasta is drained. Also make sure you cook the pasta in loads of fast boiling water, stir once only. No to butter and a definite no to margarine .

When I make spaghetti bolognese I stir some of the sauce into the pasta and put the rest on the top.

[tiokiko]

Definitely keep a little of the cooking water when draining then add all the sauce to all the pasta, mix and serve. Pasta served with sauce on top always sticks, gets claggy and cold.

[MummyPenguin]

I'm going to have to cook spaghetti bolognese again soon! I think I'll try serving it the 'Italian' way - all mixed in. Cue cries of "what have you done to our dinner??!!"

[plantsitter]

I cook a normal amount in an ENORMOUS pan. That works.