sticky pasta every time - why???

[lilKelBel]

Hi there

Ok so I'm fed up. No pun intended . I made linguini last night and again it turned into one giant congealed mass in the strainer! WHY? How can I stop it from happening?

I normally make pasta as follows: pot of boiling salted water to which has been added 2 T olive oil. Cook pasta. Dump into strainer. Rinse lightly with cold water. Attempt to serve sticky mess!

any ideas? thx

It could be that you are slightly over cooking it.

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spit in it and this will help

like cod says really.

big pan LOTS of water.

stir a few times during cooking.

dont overcook.

This is what I do: boil pasta in lots of unsalted water (use your biggest pot), stir to break it up occasionally, when cooked drain through colander. Put hot pasta back in pot, dribble olive oil over it, stir. Don't overdrain your pasta - some cookbooks suggest keeping some of the pasta water to lubricate the sauce.

it may be the type of pasta you are using as well as overcooking it a bit. Some of the cheaper supermarket brands can go very sticky, very quickly

not enough water
overcooking

overcooking - too much messing with
I treat pasta like rice
big pot
really boiling water
stir a couple of times only
with linguini i would say do not drain it to too dry
leave a little water o it and add butter
it should be 'silky'
jamie agrees with my method - i saw him do it once!

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stirring is good. Can stick to bottom otherwise.

buy nicer pasta

the Tesco Quick Cook stuff is always sticky and minging

the blue packet one (De Cecco? Buittoni?) much better

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Barilla is also good, but Dececco do the best linguine

Am I a ponce if I admit I only buy De Cecco?

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I hate having lots of packets of different pasta - so I buy only spag and penne. Kids only eat 80g between them at a time, so not a big deal.

not a ponce
we have quick-cook penne for emergencies but otherwise it's the god stuff all the way

seriously thanks a mill.

sticky pasta no more!!!!!

no - waitrose brand. but I did overcook it a squidge I think. darned distractions, I mean, kids!

• cook 2 mn less than indicated on pack

- turn off heat and cover with kitchen towel 2mn - drain (save a laddle of cooking water for the sauce) and dress immediately with butter or better olive oil - if your are not using pasta immediately, drain and cool under running cold water and dress with olive oil/butter