Question: How do you cook pasta al dente?
Al dente (al den tay) is Italian meaning "to the tooth", and offers a slight resistance with bitten into - it should not be soft or overdone.
Bring water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan then add salt (salt increases the water temperature slightly at boiling point). Gradually add the pasta so the water does not go off the boil. Add long pasta by holding the strands and feeding them in gradually as they soften. Keep the water boiling fast to keep the pasta moving.
Test by biting a piece of pasta. It is done when it is al dente - cooked through but still firm to the bite (2 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta, 5 to 12 minutes, depending on freshness and thickness, for dried).
Drain pasta, but do not rinse. Place pasta into a heated serving bowl, add the sauce then toss and serve at once. Serve the cheese separately, if using.
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