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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 8 (from laksa121)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa008.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/restaurants\/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092\/","crawl_time":1776369662,"first_indexed_time":1760290521,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,houstonpress!www,\/restaurants\/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092\/ s443","src_root_hash":"4103665910197221208","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How To: Boil Pasta","meta_descriptions":["I don't care how many Italian grandmothers you have, there's enough myths about boiling pasta to fill a phone app, albeit not a useful one. Tossing pasta into hot water works perfectly for a talented few, but even so, there's a reason they're so lucky. Most important is to start..."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"I don’t care how many Italian grandmothers you have, there’s enough myths about boiling pasta to fill a phone app, albeit not a useful one.  Tossing pasta into hot water works perfectly for a talented few, but even so, there’s a reason they’re so lucky.\nMost important is to start with the right stuff.  I’ll take a New York pizza over a Roman pie any day, but Italians make better pasta.  De Cecco is easily the best pasta you can find in a regular supermarket, and if you can’t find it on the shelf, then you may wish to settle for…nevermind, just leave the store and find De Cecco somewhere else.  It’s reasonably priced now, since the Euro took a dive.\nWater–you can use a gallon per pound of pasta, which is preferable, but not necessary.  The idea is to dilute the starches so the pasta doesn’t stick together, but stirring the pasta at the right time does a better job of it.  I only use enough water to cover the pasta by an inch.\nOlive Oil–it’s unnecessary in the boiling water.  It floats on top, so it’s not going to do a fabulous job of keeping the pasta from sticking.  My Italian friend Paola told me oil keeps the water from boiling over, but that’s not necessary either, as we’ll see.\nSalt–a tablespoon of it will deter the stickiness of the starches, and the pasta will absorb some of it for seasoning.  Don’t toss it into boiling water before the pasta, as salt causes the water to well up dangerously.\nPasta–after the water boils, reduce the heat to medium (so your hand doesn’t get steamed) then toss in the pasta.  If it’s straight noodles, I twist my hand back and forth, and drop it in a radial pattern to keep it from sticking. Turn the heat back up until the water boils again.\nStir immediately after dropping the pasta in.  That’s when sticky starches are released, at the beginning of the cooking.  This is a good time to stir in the salt.  Stir after one minute, as this is when more sticky starches are released, and stir again after two minutes, for the same reason.\nAt this point, you could turn off the water, and the pasta will have enough heat to cook.  I still don’t believe it, so I keep the water at a minimum boil, uncovered.\nYou may need extra minutes, as much as an additional half as much time for De Cecco, because the listed times on the box are for\nal dente\n, which is not to some American tastes (including mine).\nWhen time’s up, save a half-cup of the starchy water if you need it for your pasta dish.  Pour out as much water as you can before the pasta starts to spill out of the pot, then add an inch of cold water to dilute the starches without making the pasta cold, then drain completely.  Any residual water will evaporate.  Do not run cold water over the pasta, as this will make it cold and slippery and wash away lots of flavor.\nItalians usually add a sauce right away, but if you are serving the pasta later, stir in a small pat of butter or a spoon of olive oil to further ensure it won’t stick together.  Pasta keeps from three to five days in the refrigerator.\nFollow\nEating Our Words on Facebook\nand on Twitter\n@EatingOurWords\nThis article appears in\nBest of Houston® 2011\n.","attrs_markdown":"Close\n\n- [Newsletter Signup](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/houston-newslettersignup-page\/)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/news\/)\n  Open dropdown menu\n  - [Latest News](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/news\/)\n  - [Sports](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/news\/sports\/)\n  - [Longform](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/news\/longform\/)\n- [Food & Drink](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/restaurants\/)\n  Open dropdown menu\n  - [Latest Food & Drink](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/restaurants\/)\n  - [Restaurant Reviews](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/restaurants\/restaurant-reviews\/)\n  - [Openings & Closings](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/tag\/openings-and-closings\/)\n  - [Food & Drink Events](https:\/\/community.houstonpress.com\/houston\/EventSearch?eventCategory=6805477%2C6805316%2C6805401%2C6805456%2C6805457%2C6805462&sortType=date&v=g)\n- [Arts & Pop Culture](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/arts\/)\n  Open dropdown menu\n  - 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[Stage](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/arts\/stage\/)\n  - [Reviews](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/film\/)\n- [Music](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/music\/)\n  Open dropdown menu\n  - [Latest Music](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/music\/)\n  - [Concerts](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/music\/concerts\/)\n  - [Concert Calendar](https:\/\/community.houstonpress.com\/houston\/EventSearch?eventSection=6805301&sortType=date&v=g)\n- [Things To Do](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/things-to-do\/)\n  Open dropdown menu\n  - [Latest Things To Do](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/things-to-do\/)\n  - [This Weekend](https:\/\/community.houstonpress.com\/houston\/EventSearch?narrowByDate=This+Weekend&sortType=date&v=g)\n  - [Events Calendar](https:\/\/community.houstonpress.com\/houston\/EventSearch?sortType=date&v=g)\n- [Best of Houston®](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/best-of-houston\/)\n  Open dropdown menu\n  - [Best of Houston® 2025](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/best-of-houston\/best-of-houston-2025\/)\n  - [Best of Houston® 2024](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/best-of-houston\/best-of-houston-2024\/)\n  - [Best of Houston® 2023](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/best-of-houston\/best-of-houston-2023\/)\n  - [Best of Houston® Archives](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/best-of-houston\/best-of-houston-archives\/)\n\nPosted in[Food & Drink](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/category\/restaurants\/)\n\n# How To: Boil Pasta\n![](https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6f6b2c1c8ce2ddf5071492325699c8a789fe8eff29da12fcdc867bb252c90316?s=96&d=mm&r=g) [John Kiely](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/author\/john-kiely\/)\n\nSeptember 28, 2011\n\nJanuary 17, 2019\n\n### Share this:\n- [Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/restaurants\/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092\/?share=facebook)\n- [Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/restaurants\/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092\/?share=x)\n- [Print (Opens in new window) Print](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/restaurants\/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092\/#print?share=print)\n- [Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20How%20To%3A%20Boil%20Pasta&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.houstonpress.com%2Frestaurants%2Fhow-to-boil-pasta-6404092%2F&share=email)\n\nI don’t care how many Italian grandmothers you have, there’s enough myths about boiling pasta to fill a phone app, albeit not a useful one. Tossing pasta into hot water works perfectly for a talented few, but even so, there’s a reason they’re so lucky.\n\nMost important is to start with the right stuff. I’ll take a New York pizza over a Roman pie any day, but Italians make better pasta. De Cecco is easily the best pasta you can find in a regular supermarket, and if you can’t find it on the shelf, then you may wish to settle for…nevermind, just leave the store and find De Cecco somewhere else. It’s reasonably priced now, since the Euro took a dive.\n\nWater–you can use a gallon per pound of pasta, which is preferable, but not necessary. The idea is to dilute the starches so the pasta doesn’t stick together, but stirring the pasta at the right time does a better job of it. I only use enough water to cover the pasta by an inch.\n\nOlive Oil–it’s unnecessary in the boiling water. It floats on top, so it’s not going to do a fabulous job of keeping the pasta from sticking. My Italian friend Paola told me oil keeps the water from boiling over, but that’s not necessary either, as we’ll see.\n\nSalt–a tablespoon of it will deter the stickiness of the starches, and the pasta will absorb some of it for seasoning. Don’t toss it into boiling water before the pasta, as salt causes the water to well up dangerously.\n\nPasta–after the water boils, reduce the heat to medium (so your hand doesn’t get steamed) then toss in the pasta. If it’s straight noodles, I twist my hand back and forth, and drop it in a radial pattern to keep it from sticking. Turn the heat back up until the water boils again.\n\nStir immediately after dropping the pasta in. That’s when sticky starches are released, at the beginning of the cooking. This is a good time to stir in the salt. Stir after one minute, as this is when more sticky starches are released, and stir again after two minutes, for the same reason.\n\nAt this point, you could turn off the water, and the pasta will have enough heat to cook. I still don’t believe it, so I keep the water at a minimum boil, uncovered.\n\nYou may need extra minutes, as much as an additional half as much time for De Cecco, because the listed times on the box are for *al dente*, which is not to some American tastes (including mine).\n\nWhen time’s up, save a half-cup of the starchy water if you need it for your pasta dish. Pour out as much water as you can before the pasta starts to spill out of the pot, then add an inch of cold water to dilute the starches without making the pasta cold, then drain completely. Any residual water will evaporate. Do not run cold water over the pasta, as this will make it cold and slippery and wash away lots of flavor.\n\nItalians usually add a sauce right away, but if you are serving the pasta later, stir in a small pat of butter or a spoon of olive oil to further ensure it won’t stick together. Pasta keeps from three to five days in the refrigerator.\n***\n*Follow [Eating Our Words on Facebook](http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/EatingOurWords) and on Twitter [@EatingOurWords](http:\/\/twitter.com\/eatingourwords)*\n\n***\n#### **Follow Houston Press: [Instagram](https:\/\/instagram.com\/houstonpress) \\| [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HoustonPress)\\| [X](https:\/\/x.com\/HoustonPress)** \\| [Apple News](https:\/\/apple.news\/TCguhx0R4Qdi1xAvgkZOk0A)\n![](https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.houstonpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/shutterstock_420317140.webp.webp?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1)\n\n## **[Everything you need to know about Houston. Delivered to your inbox.](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/houston-newslettersignup-page\/)**\n## [Subscribe to Houston Press Newsletters](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/houston-newslettersignup-page\/)\n***\n\nThis article appears in [Best of Houston® 2011](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/collections\/best-of-houston-2011\/).\n\n### *Related*\n\nTagged: [boil](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/tag\/boil\/), [Fettucine Alfredo](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/tag\/fettucine-alfredo\/), [Homepage](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/tag\/homepage\/), [Italian food](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/tag\/italian-food\/), [pasta](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/tag\/pasta\/), [spaghetti](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/tag\/spaghetti\/)\n\n## Latest\n[![Third Future Schools in Texas Records a Significant Deficit in Audit](https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.houstonpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mike_miles_6-12-25_800.png?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/news\/third-future-schools-in-texas-record-a-significant-deficit-in-audit\/)\n\n## [Third Future Schools in Texas Records a Significant Deficit in Audit](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/news\/third-future-schools-in-texas-record-a-significant-deficit-in-audit\/)\nby [Margaret Downing](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/author\/margaret-downing\/)\n\nApril 16, 2026\n\nApril 16, 2026\n\n[![Prepare to be Swept Up by Silly in Spamalot](https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.houstonpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/L-R-Sean-Bell-Leo-Roberts-Major-Attaway-Blake-Segal-Chris-Collins-Pisano-and-Ellis-C.-Dawson-III-in-the-North-American-Tour-of-SPAMALOT.-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-3.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/arts\/prepare-to-be-swept-up-by-silly-in-spamalot\/)\n\n## [Prepare to be Swept Up by Silly in *Spamalot*](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/arts\/prepare-to-be-swept-up-by-silly-in-spamalot\/)\nby [D. 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Tossing pasta into hot water works perfectly for a talented few, but even so, there’s a reason they’re so lucky.\n\nMost important is to start with the right stuff. I’ll take a New York pizza over a Roman pie any day, but Italians make better pasta. De Cecco is easily the best pasta you can find in a regular supermarket, and if you can’t find it on the shelf, then you may wish to settle for…nevermind, just leave the store and find De Cecco somewhere else. It’s reasonably priced now, since the Euro took a dive.\n\nWater–you can use a gallon per pound of pasta, which is preferable, but not necessary. The idea is to dilute the starches so the pasta doesn’t stick together, but stirring the pasta at the right time does a better job of it. I only use enough water to cover the pasta by an inch.\n\nOlive Oil–it’s unnecessary in the boiling water. It floats on top, so it’s not going to do a fabulous job of keeping the pasta from sticking. My Italian friend Paola told me oil keeps the water from boiling over, but that’s not necessary either, as we’ll see.\n\nSalt–a tablespoon of it will deter the stickiness of the starches, and the pasta will absorb some of it for seasoning. Don’t toss it into boiling water before the pasta, as salt causes the water to well up dangerously.\n\nPasta–after the water boils, reduce the heat to medium (so your hand doesn’t get steamed) then toss in the pasta. If it’s straight noodles, I twist my hand back and forth, and drop it in a radial pattern to keep it from sticking. Turn the heat back up until the water boils again.\n\nStir immediately after dropping the pasta in. That’s when sticky starches are released, at the beginning of the cooking. This is a good time to stir in the salt. Stir after one minute, as this is when more sticky starches are released, and stir again after two minutes, for the same reason.\n\nAt this point, you could turn off the water, and the pasta will have enough heat to cook. I still don’t believe it, so I keep the water at a minimum boil, uncovered.\n\nYou may need extra minutes, as much as an additional half as much time for De Cecco, because the listed times on the box are for *al dente*, which is not to some American tastes (including mine).\n\nWhen time’s up, save a half-cup of the starchy water if you need it for your pasta dish. Pour out as much water as you can before the pasta starts to spill out of the pot, then add an inch of cold water to dilute the starches without making the pasta cold, then drain completely. Any residual water will evaporate. Do not run cold water over the pasta, as this will make it cold and slippery and wash away lots of flavor.\n\nItalians usually add a sauce right away, but if you are serving the pasta later, stir in a small pat of butter or a spoon of olive oil to further ensure it won’t stick together. Pasta keeps from three to five days in the refrigerator.\n***\n*Follow [Eating Our Words on Facebook](http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/EatingOurWords) and on Twitter [@EatingOurWords](http:\/\/twitter.com\/eatingourwords)*\n\nThis article appears in [Best of Houston® 2011](https:\/\/www.houstonpress.com\/collections\/best-of-houston-2011\/).","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	I don’t care how many Italian grandmothers you have, there’s enough myths about boiling pasta to fill a phone app, albeit not a useful one. Tossing pasta into hot water works perfectly for a talented few, but even so, there’s a reason they’re so lucky. Most important is to start with the right stuff. I’ll take a New York pizza over a Roman pie any day, but Italians make better pasta. De Cecco is easily the best pasta you can find in a regular supermarket, and if you can’t find it on the shelf, then you may wish to settle for…nevermind, just leave the store and find De Cecco somewhere else. It’s reasonably priced now, since the Euro took a dive. Water–you can use a gallon per pound of pasta, which is preferable, but not necessary. The idea is to dilute the starches so the pasta doesn’t stick together, but stirring the pasta at the right time does a better job of it. I only use enough water to cover the pasta by an inch. Olive Oil–it’s unnecessary in the boiling water. It floats on top, so it’s not going to do a fabulous job of keeping the pasta from sticking. My Italian friend Paola told me oil keeps the water from boiling over, but that’s not necessary either, as we’ll see. Salt–a tablespoon of it will deter the stickiness of the starches, and the pasta will absorb some of it for seasoning. Don’t toss it into boiling water before the pasta, as salt causes the water to well up dangerously. Pasta–after the water boils, reduce the heat to medium (so your hand doesn’t get steamed) then toss in the pasta. If it’s straight noodles, I twist my hand back and forth, and drop it in a radial pattern to keep it from sticking. Turn the heat back up until the water boils again. Stir immediately after dropping the pasta in. That’s when sticky starches are released, at the beginning of the cooking. This is a good time to stir in the salt. Stir after one minute, as this is when more sticky starches are released, and stir again after two minutes, for the same reason. At this point, you could turn off the water, and the pasta will have enough heat to cook. I still don’t believe it, so I keep the water at a minimum boil, uncovered. You may need extra minutes, as much as an additional half as much time for De Cecco, because the listed times on the box are for al dente , which is not to some American tastes (including mine). When time’s up, save a half-cup of the starchy water if you need it for your pasta dish. Pour out as much water as you can before the pasta starts to spill out of the pot, then add an inch of cold water to dilute the starches without making the pasta cold, then drain completely. Any residual water will evaporate. Do not run cold water over the pasta, as this will make it cold and slippery and wash away lots of flavor. Italians usually add a sauce right away, but if you are serving the pasta later, stir in a small pat of butter or a spoon of olive oil to further ensure it won’t stick together. Pasta keeps from three to five days in the refrigerator. Follow Eating Our Words on Facebook and on Twitter @EatingOurWords This article appears in Best of Houston® 2011 .
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[Best of Houston® 2024](https://www.houstonpress.com/category/best-of-houston/best-of-houston-2024/) - [Best of Houston® 2023](https://www.houstonpress.com/category/best-of-houston/best-of-houston-2023/) - [Best of Houston® Archives](https://www.houstonpress.com/category/best-of-houston/best-of-houston-archives/) Posted in[Food & Drink](https://www.houstonpress.com/category/restaurants/) # How To: Boil Pasta ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6f6b2c1c8ce2ddf5071492325699c8a789fe8eff29da12fcdc867bb252c90316?s=96&d=mm&r=g) [John Kiely](https://www.houstonpress.com/author/john-kiely/) September 28, 2011 January 17, 2019 ### Share this: - [Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092/?share=facebook) - [Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092/?share=x) - [Print (Opens in new window) Print](https://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/how-to-boil-pasta-6404092/#print?share=print) - [Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email](mailto:?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20How%20To%3A%20Boil%20Pasta&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.houstonpress.com%2Frestaurants%2Fhow-to-boil-pasta-6404092%2F&share=email) I don’t care how many Italian grandmothers you have, there’s enough myths about boiling pasta to fill a phone app, albeit not a useful one. Tossing pasta into hot water works perfectly for a talented few, but even so, there’s a reason they’re so lucky. Most important is to start with the right stuff. I’ll take a New York pizza over a Roman pie any day, but Italians make better pasta. De Cecco is easily the best pasta you can find in a regular supermarket, and if you can’t find it on the shelf, then you may wish to settle for…nevermind, just leave the store and find De Cecco somewhere else. It’s reasonably priced now, since the Euro took a dive. Water–you can use a gallon per pound of pasta, which is preferable, but not necessary. The idea is to dilute the starches so the pasta doesn’t stick together, but stirring the pasta at the right time does a better job of it. I only use enough water to cover the pasta by an inch. Olive Oil–it’s unnecessary in the boiling water. It floats on top, so it’s not going to do a fabulous job of keeping the pasta from sticking. My Italian friend Paola told me oil keeps the water from boiling over, but that’s not necessary either, as we’ll see. Salt–a tablespoon of it will deter the stickiness of the starches, and the pasta will absorb some of it for seasoning. Don’t toss it into boiling water before the pasta, as salt causes the water to well up dangerously. Pasta–after the water boils, reduce the heat to medium (so your hand doesn’t get steamed) then toss in the pasta. If it’s straight noodles, I twist my hand back and forth, and drop it in a radial pattern to keep it from sticking. Turn the heat back up until the water boils again. Stir immediately after dropping the pasta in. That’s when sticky starches are released, at the beginning of the cooking. This is a good time to stir in the salt. Stir after one minute, as this is when more sticky starches are released, and stir again after two minutes, for the same reason. At this point, you could turn off the water, and the pasta will have enough heat to cook. I still don’t believe it, so I keep the water at a minimum boil, uncovered. You may need extra minutes, as much as an additional half as much time for De Cecco, because the listed times on the box are for al dente, which is not to some American tastes (including mine). When time’s up, save a half-cup of the starchy water if you need it for your pasta dish. Pour out as much water as you can before the pasta starts to spill out of the pot, then add an inch of cold water to dilute the starches without making the pasta cold, then drain completely. Any residual water will evaporate. Do not run cold water over the pasta, as this will make it cold and slippery and wash away lots of flavor. Italians usually add a sauce right away, but if you are serving the pasta later, stir in a small pat of butter or a spoon of olive oil to further ensure it won’t stick together. Pasta keeps from three to five days in the refrigerator. *** Follow [Eating Our Words on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/EatingOurWords) and on Twitter [@EatingOurWords](http://twitter.com/eatingourwords) * #### Follow Houston Press: [Instagram](https://instagram.com/houstonpress) \\| [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/HoustonPress)\\| [X](https://x.com/HoustonPress) \\| [Apple News](https://apple.news/TCguhx0R4Qdi1xAvgkZOk0A) ![](https://i0.wp.com/www.houstonpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/shutterstock_420317140.webp.webp?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1) ## [Everything you need to know about Houston. 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Readable Markdown	I don’t care how many Italian grandmothers you have, there’s enough myths about boiling pasta to fill a phone app, albeit not a useful one. Tossing pasta into hot water works perfectly for a talented few, but even so, there’s a reason they’re so lucky. Most important is to start with the right stuff. I’ll take a New York pizza over a Roman pie any day, but Italians make better pasta. De Cecco is easily the best pasta you can find in a regular supermarket, and if you can’t find it on the shelf, then you may wish to settle for…nevermind, just leave the store and find De Cecco somewhere else. It’s reasonably priced now, since the Euro took a dive. Water–you can use a gallon per pound of pasta, which is preferable, but not necessary. The idea is to dilute the starches so the pasta doesn’t stick together, but stirring the pasta at the right time does a better job of it. I only use enough water to cover the pasta by an inch. Olive Oil–it’s unnecessary in the boiling water. It floats on top, so it’s not going to do a fabulous job of keeping the pasta from sticking. My Italian friend Paola told me oil keeps the water from boiling over, but that’s not necessary either, as we’ll see. Salt–a tablespoon of it will deter the stickiness of the starches, and the pasta will absorb some of it for seasoning. Don’t toss it into boiling water before the pasta, as salt causes the water to well up dangerously. Pasta–after the water boils, reduce the heat to medium (so your hand doesn’t get steamed) then toss in the pasta. If it’s straight noodles, I twist my hand back and forth, and drop it in a radial pattern to keep it from sticking. Turn the heat back up until the water boils again. Stir immediately after dropping the pasta in. That’s when sticky starches are released, at the beginning of the cooking. This is a good time to stir in the salt. Stir after one minute, as this is when more sticky starches are released, and stir again after two minutes, for the same reason. At this point, you could turn off the water, and the pasta will have enough heat to cook. I still don’t believe it, so I keep the water at a minimum boil, uncovered. You may need extra minutes, as much as an additional half as much time for De Cecco, because the listed times on the box are for al dente, which is not to some American tastes (including mine). When time’s up, save a half-cup of the starchy water if you need it for your pasta dish. Pour out as much water as you can before the pasta starts to spill out of the pot, then add an inch of cold water to dilute the starches without making the pasta cold, then drain completely. Any residual water will evaporate. Do not run cold water over the pasta, as this will make it cold and slippery and wash away lots of flavor. Italians usually add a sauce right away, but if you are serving the pasta later, stir in a small pat of butter or a spoon of olive oil to further ensure it won’t stick together. Pasta keeps from three to five days in the refrigerator. *** Follow [Eating Our Words on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/EatingOurWords) and on Twitter [@EatingOurWords](http://twitter.com/eatingourwords) This article appears in [Best of Houston® 2011](https://www.houstonpress.com/collections/best-of-houston-2011/).
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