5 ms·

Is this why my grandma put oil in the pasta pot?

wendgeabos 8mo ago
yes. It also keeps the pasta from sticking together as quickly after you drain it. But an Italian friend made a face and said "it will keep the sauce from adhering to the pasta!!!' so... yeah.
- kill_nate_kill 8mo ago
  Keep a little of the starchy pasta water in there when mixing in the sauce — it's the real key.
- askvictor 8mo ago
  It's useful to add oil after cooking pasta if you're going to save it for later; otherwise you definitely don't want to. I've never had pasta foam over as I cook without a lid (though haven't tried it with oil and a lid); it's also completely possible to cook it without any heat; once the pasta is added, bring back to boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit until it's done. It only needs about 80C to cook, which the remnant heat will provide. Also, (and I learnt this much too late in my life), cook the pasta until a few minutes before it's done, and _finish cooking in the sauce_. This is what makes the sauce adhere. Keep a cup of the starchy pasta water to add in case it needs to be loosened a bit.
PaulRobinson 8mo ago
That's to reduce the pasta sticking together as it cooks.
- slumberlust 8mo ago
  Doubtful because it just floats on the surface. Maybe ones you pour the water out?
- Clamchop 8mo ago
  In my experience, stirring within the first tens of seconds of submersion is enough and it won't stick together again for the rest of the boil. After it's strained is a different matter, but you might as well wait until then if you're going to oil it.
- tonyedgecombe 8mo ago
  Which doesn’t really work as the oil and water won’t mix.
infinite_beam 8mo ago
Not Strega Nona tho.
askvictor 8mo ago
Possibly, though most likely because of long standing myths. I've never had a pasta pot boil over, but I cook it without a lid; maybe with a lid it makes a difference. I might also try it next time I boil potatoes, which I usually cook with a lid, and have a tendency to froth over if the heat isn't just right.

yes. It also keeps the pasta from sticking together as quickly after you drain it. But an Italian friend made a face and said "it will keep the sauce from adhering to the pasta!!!' so... yeah.

kill_nate_kill 8mo ago
Keep a little of the starchy pasta water in there when mixing in the sauce — it's the real key.
askvictor 8mo ago
It's useful to add oil after cooking pasta if you're going to save it for later; otherwise you definitely don't want to. I've never had pasta foam over as I cook without a lid (though haven't tried it with oil and a lid); it's also completely possible to cook it without any heat; once the pasta is added, bring back to boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit until it's done. It only needs about 80C to cook, which the remnant heat will provide. Also, (and I learnt this much too late in my life), cook the pasta until a few minutes before it's done, and _finish cooking in the sauce_. This is what makes the sauce adhere. Keep a cup of the starchy pasta water to add in case it needs to be loosened a bit.

PaulRobinson 8mo ago

That's to reduce the pasta sticking together as it cooks.

slumberlust 8mo ago
Doubtful because it just floats on the surface. Maybe ones you pour the water out?
Clamchop 8mo ago
In my experience, stirring within the first tens of seconds of submersion is enough and it won't stick together again for the rest of the boil. After it's strained is a different matter, but you might as well wait until then if you're going to oil it.
tonyedgecombe 8mo ago
Which doesn’t really work as the oil and water won’t mix.

infinite_beam 8mo ago

Not Strega Nona tho.

askvictor 8mo ago

Possibly, though most likely because of long standing myths. I've never had a pasta pot boil over, but I cook it without a lid; maybe with a lid it makes a difference. I might also try it next time I boil potatoes, which I usually cook with a lid, and have a tendency to froth over if the heat isn't just right.