Pasta cooked too long? Don’t worry, here’s the solution!
It can happen to anyone, of course. Especially when you’ve read everything you could find about cooking pasta: how much water, how much salt, whether or not to drain it, what to do with that pasta water, and one of your life mottos these days is al dente. And yet, one day it happens: you let the pasta cook for too long! What do you do then?
Because after letting the imaginary reprimands wash over you, you realize that throwing food away is much more foolish. And completely unnecessary! Push the little angry Italian on your shoulder aside and throw a lifebuoy to that overcooked pasta in the form of:
Crunchy counterparts
Try to create some balance in textures. Pasta that’s a little too soft? (Partly) disguise it with briefly blanched, still-crunchy vegetables. Broccoli, green asparagus, very briefly fried zucchini, and before you know it you’re simply on your way to a fine primavera! Crispy roasted chickpeas also provide some contrast, as do generous freshly baked garlic croutons. Deliciously chewy crispy bacon bits work well in there too.
A creamy sauce
When pasta has been cooked for too long, it can feel spongy and a little slimy. Mask that by not coating every strand or piece with a ‘jacket’ of moisture and sauce using pasta water, as is usually delicious, because it already has that jacket—and it’s not the right one. Go all the way and make a rich, creamy sauce. Sauté a chopped garlic clove, add some chopped green herbs, and oh, did you also have some shrimp lying around? Delicious, throw them in! Add a splash of white wine, finish with cream and salt, and stir that soft pasta through it. You’ve simply made pasta with creamy garlic shrimp! Not exactly something you’d dare serve to an Italian nonna, but at least you’re no longer left with that slightly slimy coating around the overcooked pasta.
Turn it into something completely different
Another excellent hiding place for overcooked spaghetti is an omelet. And there’s absolutely no shame in that! Frittata di pasta is also made in Italy, so you don’t have to be embarrassed about anything. This recipe for a leftover spaghetti omelet, for example, is by Antonio Carlucci, and believe us when we say that he was a truly Italian top chef who made cooking shows long before you could say Jamie and Gennaro. Easy to make, and convenient to take with you for a delicious lunch or drinks, for example.
Also read:
- Kitchen mishap? Thanks!
- 9x disgusting and bizarre staff meals in the hospitality industry that people talked about for a long time
- Recipe: fried (!) pasta with salmon
