Rinse Spaghetti or NO ?

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Rinsing with hot tap water causes the pasta to cool down. Next time I might have a separate pan of boiling water just for the purpose rinsing the spaghetti. Do you guys rinse, or just drain it through a colander and call it good ?
 
I do not, as the starchy residue (which has coated the pasta when drained) is what helps the sauce cling to the pasta.

I know of some recipes that call for use of the starchy water in the sauce to thicken.
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I've always heard to rinse it with cold water to prevent the pasta from sticking together.


OK --- after that, how do you get the pasta hot again ?
 
The sauce Merk
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Originally Posted By: copcarguy
Drain then rinse with hot water


I thought you're not supposed to use hot water from the tap on food. Has traces of minerals from the hot water tank like aluminium or magnesium whereas cold water does not.
 
Read the instructions................. how radical is that??

Every package of every type I have seen for many years, says NOT to rinse.

YMMV

Stays hot because normally the sauce and whatever else (sausage, meatballs, etc) goes on just after it is drained.

Old wives (or grandmas) tales die hard.
 
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Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I've always heard to rinse it with cold water to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

OK --- after that, how do you get the pasta hot again ?

You don't soak the noodles in cold water... They will still be piping hot after a quick rinse.

That said, I do not rinse my pasta. The sauce immediately gets mixed in and the starch on the pasta helps it stick.

No one likes naked pasta with some sauce on top. You gotta mix it in!
 
Ahh roofless tell my lady that
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She likes it that way.... Go doggone figure. I am like you in that I like it mixed.

Roofless I hope that you have been good and staying safe and kicking rear end. Good to see you on here Capt.

Merk, you have been in my thoughts often the past couple in months. It makes me very happy to see ya on here regularly again. I am 42 by the way. Some days when my illness acts up I feel like I'm much, much older. On good days I feel like a 25 yr buck and ready to rock.
 
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nothing better than next day pasta so the sauce clings and the flavors infuse.
 
I have never seen either of my Italian grandmothers, my mother & aunts or mother-in-law, my sisters nor my wife or her sisters(all Italian) ever rinse pasta.
 
Originally Posted By: copcarguy
Drain then rinse with hot water


+1 I use hot tap water. Its not sticky till the left overs cool down.
 
I drain, throw noodles back in pot, dump in sauce, stir and serve. Do not see any reason to rinse.
 
If the pasta is for a tomato based sauce you should NEVER rinse. The starch on the surface makes the sauce stick. To keep them from sticking, drain, then throw back in the pan and put a half cup of the sauce in it and max well. They won't stick. Rinsing will make it so the sauce runs off and terrible spaghetti IMO.

For a pesto sauce I just use olive oil....sometimes I do the same for tomato based sauce....but that is more calories.
 
Never rinse. THe residual starch helps whatever sauce you are using to stick to the pasta. Also, save a cup of the starchy water to add to the final product if it needs liquid. Also, salt your water.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Rinsing with hot tap water causes the pasta to cool down. Next time I might have a separate pan of boiling water just for the purpose rinsing the spaghetti. Do you guys rinse, or just drain it through a colander and call it good ?


I never rinse.

1. Start the sauce
2. Cook the pasta al dente
3. Add pasta to the sauce by taking out from the water with tongs.
4. Use a little pasta water as a binding agent in the sauce.
 
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