Best Pasta Tips

What's your number-one pasta pleasure? Lasagna? Spaghetti? Macaroni and cheese? You can feel good about all of these choices because pasta offers important nutrients like folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and iron. Switching to whole-wheat pasta ups the nutrition factor even more, because research indicates that kids aren't getting enough fiber- and phytochemical-rich whole grains. Teaming your noodles with plenty of vegetables, lean meats and fish would make any dietitian happy. Knowing how much pasta to serve and how to cook and store pasta can also help you make the most of your noodle fixation.

Which pasta should you serve, and how much?

The National Pasta Association recommends teaming thin pastas like spaghetti and linguine with lighter, thinner sauces; thicker pastas like fettuccine with heavier sauces; and pasta with holes or ridges with chunky sauces. As for size, a main dish of pasta should include about one to one-and-a-half cups of cooked pasta, which is equivalent to two to three grain servings. It's not always easy to figure out how much dry pasta to put in the pot, however! For most pastas other than egg noodles, two ounces of dry pasta equals one cup of cooked pasta.

How to cook pasta

Boil four to six quarts of water for every pound of dry pasta. Add the pasta, stirring at the outset and occasionally while cooking at a boil. As for timing, follow the package directions because each manufacturer has tested their brands and shapes for the best cooking time. Undercook the pasta by one-third if it's intended for a dish that will be cooked further. Taste the pasta to see if it's done: it should be cooked through but firm (a.k.a. "al dente"). Drain the pasta, but don't rinse it unless you're using it for a cold dish or you're going to refrigerate it before adding a sauce.

How to safely store pasta

Dry, uncooked pasta will keep in your cupboard for up to a year. Cooked pastas with or without meat will keep in an airtight container in your fridge for up to the four days and in your freezer for up to four months. The United States Department of Agriculture notes that “cream sauces may become lumpy or separate when frozen and reheated, but they will be safe to serve again.” Throw out pasta salads with mayonnaise that have been unrefrigerated for two hours or more.

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