>A trivially simple change fundamentally alters the process for the better: soak the pasta in cold water for a couple hours (as far in advance as you like, for

>A trivially simple change fundamentally alters the process for the better: soak the pasta in cold water for a couple hours (as far in advance as you like, for convenience). The pasta rehydrates and takes on the texture (but not flavor) of cooked pasta. >Cook it in any hot liquid, quickly (3-4 minutes). Done. I was always told to presoak stuff like pasta while camping, as it cuts down on fuel use. I guess that's an unexpected side benefit to the above too. (Not sure if it would be enough to make a noticeable difference in a domestic setting. But when you're running a small gas stove, every little helps.)