Recently McGee set out to find whether it’s really necessary to cook a pound of pasta in six quarts of water. Sure, we like protecting our planet and oceans, but really, we’re talking about pasta water. The pasta takes less time to cook. There are more efficient ways to cook pasta besides dropping it into a big pot of boiling, salted water. In this method, a smaller volume of water is used, so it takes less time to boil. If you're trying to conserve water, you may want to do something with leftover pasta water rather than pour it down the drain. Here's the simple solution: Rather than salting your water when it's cold, which gives the elements way too much time to interact, throw your salt in the pot after the water has come to a boil.At that high temperature, there isn't enough oxygen in the water … Pasta water can be used as broth in soup or an ingredient in bread. Bland pasta is a sad, sad thing. By using the cold water pasta method, we accomplish a few important things: 1. This type of pot can be used to boil water for potatoes, eggs, pasta, and anything else that needs a decent amount of room and water volume to cook properly. But how do you salt pasta water … Boil your pasta in less water. If you're trying to conserve water, you may want to do something with leftover pasta water rather than pour it down the drain. If you are worried in general, I'd get my pipes tested. How to Use Leftover Pasta Water. For such a simple task, cooking pasta has accumulated its fair share of oddball tips (throwing spaghetti against the wall—really?). No offense to the Pasta Gods, but there is another (better) way. The second method is much faster. If you like to cook, you may already be familiar with Harold McGee, tireless kitchen tinkerer, experimenter, and debunker of myths. ), the only thing you need to get right is salting the water. In truth, outside of getting your water to a full boil (not a simmer! HECK YES. How to Use Leftover Pasta Water. A wide, deep pot is usually best for this use, and one made from aluminum and stainless steel can provide a pot that is durable and can effectively boil water. “When cooking pasta in cold water and then bringing it to a boil, temperature is a variable and water volume is a variable and the BTU output of your stove is a variable and the conductivity of your pan is a variable and seasoning the pasta internally is a challenge. Pasta water can be used as broth in soup or an ingredient in bread. The difference between tap water and hot water seems like a lot to us but considering absolute zero is like -460 deg f and lead's melting point is 621 degrees, the difference between hot and cold seems like it would be trivial to the lead. The standard method for cooking pasta, found in Italian cookbooks and on pasta packages, is to heat to a rolling boil 4 to 6 quarts of well-salted water per pound of pasta. More recently, some chefs have begun to use a small pot of water and even start the pasta in cold water. Traditionally, pasta is added to a giant pot of boiling water, about 4 to 6 quarts water per pound of pasta (8.4–12.5 liters per kilogram).