Pasta Cooking Process

Cooking pasta is not a simple matter; on the contrary, it is a very serious and important topic. But what exactly is pasta cooking? Cooking pasta refers to the real shape change that occurs in both the product and its components.

In the pasta cooking process, the first important factor is water, the second is pasta, the third factor is heat, and the fourth factor is the utensils and equipment used.

During cooking, starch granules absorb water, swell, and form a gel. Meanwhile, gluten undergoes structural changes, which results in firmness and stickiness in pasta. All the good properties and characteristics of pasta occur when gluten is present in the right quality and quantity and is well distributed throughout the product. Otherwise, the components of starch (amylose and amylopectin) will leach out, leading to stickiness. In low-quality products, excessive free sugars are produced due to starch breakdown during milling or the pasta production process, which causes the cooking water to become cloudy and ultimately leads to stickiness. Since cooking alters the physical properties of the product and initiates a series of chemical reactions, the characteristics of the cooking water are very important.

In most large pasta manufacturing factories, there are usually no chemical controls on the water used for cooking pasta. Distilled water usually has the best quality for cooking pasta, but this is only applicable for laboratory technicians and cannot be implemented at home. Generally, the water used for cooking pasta comes from wells and rivers, which differ in hardness and alkalinity from distilled water. In some cases, they have high levels of calcium and magnesium, which significantly affect the starch granules. Additionally, regular salt has a negative effect on pasta and reduces its stability.

For using water with high hardness, it is better to first boil it, then cool and filter it; this way, the precipitated calcium and magnesium will be removed, and the water can be returned to the cooking pot.

The acidity level of the water is also important. If the water is slightly acidic (for example, around 6), the pasta will be less damaged during cooking.

The Best Method for Cooking Pasta

Now we turn to the topic of heat. It should be noted that the cliché phrase in cookbooks stating “the water must come to a boil before adding the pasta” does not need to be executed verbatim. Most importantly, it is not necessary for the water to be boiling throughout the entire cooking process. Instead, the temperature of the water during cooking should always be kept a few degrees below the boiling point; in other words, it should not exceed 96 degrees Celsius. By adhering to these conditions, the effects of heat on the structure of the product will be minimized. This also prevents excessive swelling of the starch granules and creates a balance between the strength of gluten and the force resulting from the expansion of starch. Moreover, the effects of boiling and churning water are mitigated. The best method is to use low heat and cover the cooking pot.

The above recommendations will be valuable when using pasta of relatively low quality or made from soft wheat, although these issues are fundamental principles that must be followed to cook the best pasta. If we want to cook pasta for a large number of people, we should keep the water temperature well below the boiling point and controlling the chemical properties of the water is essential.

The last and perhaps the least important issue is to consider the conditions of the cooking pot for pasta. Initially, narrow and tall pots were used for cooking pasta, but now more modern and equipped utensils are used, which have a sieve or colander built into the cooking pot, allowing for draining the pasta without needing to pour it into another container. Furthermore, they have a lid that remains closed throughout the cooking process, which helps maintain proper water temperature.

The best ratio of product to water is 1:10, meaning for every 100 grams of product, one liter of water is needed. Stirring during cooking to prevent stickiness should be minimized and done gently. If the product is of good quality, there should be no issues with stickiness. A very gentle initial stir is sufficient; if the pasta quality is average or poor, stirring during cooking is essential.

Classic Pasta Cooking

Classic pasta cooking requires precision, delicacy, and utensils made of wood. It is better to stir the water gently while cooking and avoid stirring that comes into contact with the product. The amount of stirring varies based on the type and quality of the product.

To reduce thermal and mechanical stresses, if the pasta does not have high strength, adding a tablespoon of olive oil to the cooking water will work wonders.

The loss of nutritional value caused by cooking pasta has led many researchers worldwide to study the nutritional value of pasta. It should be noted that the proteins we are familiar with are not the main nutritional substance of pasta in terms of quantity and quality. Firstly, the amount of protein does not exceed 13 percent, even under the best conditions. Additionally, the amount of essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesize is found in low levels in these proteins. Typically, pasta loses about 3 percent of its proteins during the cooking process, most of which are water-soluble proteins.

If the intensity of boiling water is high, mechanical impact on the water will wash away the surface of the pasta, resulting in the separation of both soluble proteins and surface starches, as well as the sugars derived from broken starches on the surface, and weakened gluten due to high temperatures.

It should be noted that, as mentioned above, increasing the nutritional value of pasta or enriching it with various proteins is not a valuable practice since most of these proteins will leach out into the cooking water, which also applies to minerals and elements. However, despite this, pasta remains a high nutritional value food.

Sodium and potassium decrease by about 50-65 percent, but the remaining amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and copper are higher, with a decrease of about 20-25 percent.

The amount of vitamins also decreases, and this should be considered one of the unsolvable problems since the stability of vitamins against boiling water is low, and most of them are water-soluble; for example, B group vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, and pantothenic acid) decrease by about 40-50 percent.

However, we should not be concerned about this, nor should we regard the cooking water as a healing remedy; on the contrary, we should discard it. Pasta has an indispensable component called sauce, which can help to balance the lost nutrients in the pasta.

Cooking Pasta in Large Kitchens

After all that we have explained so far, it is clear what characteristics the utensils should have; therefore, the following points are deemed essential:

Pasta cooking must occur at a controlled temperature, at least 4 degrees below the boiling point of water, to minimize the loss of starch and protein.

Selecting a pot with sufficient volume so that an adequate amount of water can be added to ensure that the 1:10 ratio is maintained.

Stirring the pasta during cooking must be gentle and fully controlled. This action should be based on the type and shape of the pasta and the chemical properties of the cooking water.

Throughout the entire cooking time of the pasta, the lid of the cooking pot must remain closed, and if possible, automatic and gentle draining of the cooking water should be implemented so that mechanical stress is not applied to the cooked product.

Finally, adherence to all hygiene standards for utensils, pots, and individuals that come into contact with the pasta must be ensured.

Now, various companies are preparing and producing the necessary equipment for cooking pasta. In these pots, the water temperature and stirring intensity are fully controlled, and the draining of cooking water occurs at a designated time automatically. A thermostat maintains the water temperature at 96 degrees Celsius throughout the cooking process to minimize losses due to the leaching of ingredients.

Pasta, what a pity that we have to cook it.

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