next time you're boiling pasta..

throw in a couple bags of green tea. adds a nice flavor, especially if you're just using plain/boxed pasta.

This is a Greek thing, isn't it? I have a friend from Panathanaikos (sp?)? that does this.

  On 7/8/2009 at 3:57 AM, abusivegeorge said:

This is a Greek thing, isn't it? I have a friend from Panathanaikos (sp?)? that does this.

it's a "hmm, i'm out of olive oil, what else can i throw in here instead" thing.

  On 7/8/2009 at 3:58 AM, chaosmachine said:

it's a "hmm, i'm out of olive oil, what else can i throw in here instead" thing.

never throw olive oil in the pasta water. just tons of salt. never ever anything else. blasphemy.

  On 7/8/2009 at 5:39 AM, jules said:

never throw olive oil in the pasta water. just tons of salt. never ever anything else. blasphemy.

you insane.

chaos, what kind of sauce did you slather over the pasta? I need a point of reference here, as I am intrigued by the notion.

yeah whats wrong with putting olive oil in pasta water?

nothing, maybe he's being a cunt.

My sicillian grandmother would have hit him with her rolling pin.

  On 7/8/2009 at 5:45 AM, beatfanatic said:

yeah whats wrong with putting olive oil in pasta water?

its uneccesary. it does nothing to prevent sticking, if thats why you put it there. if you put it there for flavor, you are just watering down your olive oil and should just dress the pasta with the oil after if need be.

  On 7/8/2009 at 5:47 AM, sneaksta303 said:

nothing, maybe he's being a cunt.

 

My sicillian grandmother would have hit him with her rolling pin.

ha, i didnt mean to sound like a jerk, although it did when i read it back.

  On 7/8/2009 at 5:49 AM, jules said:

it does nothing to prevent sticking, if thats why you put it there.

proof?

  On 7/8/2009 at 5:42 AM, sneaksta303 said:

chaos, what kind of sauce did you slather over the pasta? I need a point of reference here, as I am intrigued by the notion.

red wine sauce.

  On 7/8/2009 at 5:49 AM, sneaksta303 said:

proof?

um yea. try it. if you keep your water at a rolling boil and stir the macaronis for the first minute or 2, it wont stick. just stir it once in awhile and load the pot with kosher or sea salt before you put the macaronis in.

i can dig on some pesto

  On 7/8/2009 at 5:49 AM, sneaksta303 said:

proof?

The millions of people who boil without putting olive oil into the boiling water and it doesn't stick.

Name any television, big name chef, and theres one example.

i put olive oil in the water and also toss it with some while draining it.

green tea idea sounds interesting. i am into trying different things. i once put bananas in fettucine alfredo, and i am also the person who came up with the idea for putting strawberries in pasta salad.

  On 7/8/2009 at 6:18 AM, abusivegeorge said:

The millions of people who boil without putting olive oil into the boiling water and it doesn't stick.

Name any television, big name chef, and theres one example.

i thought you were on my side you hedonistic cunt. we're brothers in a way you and me... and this is how you treat me now.

If I cared to, I would pick the one example where the cook DID use olive oil, But I love you too much to do that kind of pwnage to you.

Yeah, fuck i dunno, just a stupid family/italian thing I guess.

Also, there aren't many (active) italian users on here are there? I can't think of any offhand.

Sicilians just like wasting olive oil any chance they get

i dunno, maybe it's necessary with fresh pasta? does fuck all to dried

  On 7/8/2009 at 6:57 AM, sneaksta303 said:

i thought you were on my side you hedonistic cunt. we're brothers in a way you and me... and this is how you treat me now.

 

If I cared to, I would pick the one example where the cook DID use olive oil, But I love you too much to do that kind of pwnage to you.

 

 

Yeah, fuck i dunno, just a stupid family/italian thing I guess.

 

 

Also, there aren't many (active) italian users on here are there? I can't think of any offhand.

i'm italian and i've never seen anyone in my family put olive oil in pasta water.

no

the only reason for adding oil is to stop it boiling over. so only useful if the pan is really full with pasta.

its just pasta. boil it, eat it and keep it movin yo

Don't oil the water.

A good thing to do is to slightly undercook the pasta (so that when you pull a piece out of the boiling water and bite into it, there's just a bit of white, uncooked starch in the middle), then pour it into a colander to strain out the water (reserve some cooking water for your sauce if needed). Flush the pasta with cold water to stop it from cooking, then drizzle and mix up some olive oil in the pasta to prevent sticking while it sits. Finish cooking your veggies and/or sauce, then throw the almost-done pasta into the hot pan for 2 minutes or so to heat it up, finish cooking it and combine it with the rest of the ingredients.

Sorry, that's probably well-known, but I thought I'd mention it anyway!

This thread is about tea, damnit, not oil.

Also, my pasta never sticks, and that's not the point of using oil. The point is you infuse the pasta with olive oil flavor. Sure, you could put it on later, but it's faster to just throw it in there while it's cooking, and you can drain away the excess easier.

Personally, I do add olive oil to the water, but in thinking about the 'science' of it all, I wonder if the water keeps the oil from bonding or infusing into the pasta, since the water keeps the oil separated.

The green tea idea is interesting - does it basically make green tea flavoured pasta, or is it more subtle?

And I'm half Italian...

The pasta is constantly boiling to the top, where the oil is. In my experience, it's more than enough to get the flavor I want, without a lot of greasy side effects.

The tea adds a tartness (from the tannins), it's a nice compliment to the sugar in the sauce.

OLIVE OIL IS FOR TASTE AND TEXTURE TOO YOU FOOL