How to use the online timer
Ten minutes is a reasonable middle setting for dried pasta, though the number on your packet should always take precedence if it differs — shapes vary more than people expect, with thin vermicelli done in half this time and thick rigatoni needing longer. What doesn't change is the principle: a big pot, plenty of well-salted water (it should taste like the sea), and a rolling boil maintained the whole way through, not a gentle simmer.
The difference between good pasta and forgettable pasta usually comes down to the last minute. Fish a piece out just before the timer ends and bite it — you're after a firm, slightly resistant centre rather than a fully soft bite, since the pasta keeps softening once it's drained and tossed through a hot sauce. If you're finishing it in a pan with sauce, pulling it a minute early and letting that final minute happen there gives a better result than boiling it to full doneness first.
Save a mug of the starchy cooking water before you tip the pot out. It's the easiest way to loosen a sauce that's gone thick or claggy, and it helps sauce cling to the pasta rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Drain, don't rinse — rinsing washes away the starch that makes sauce stick in the first place.
Common questions
Should I always trust the packet time over ten minutes?
Yes — shapes and brands vary enough that the packet is the better guide. Use ten minutes as a rough default only when there's no packet to check.
Why does my sauce turn out watery even though the pasta's cooked properly?
Draining and rinsing washes away the starch that helps sauce cling. Drain without rinsing, and stir in a splash of the starchy cooking water if the sauce needs loosening.
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