Like my father. (Shhhh!)

Alright, my father is no dummy. He's just inexperienced. He was raised a celiac and had never cooked pasta all by himself. (I began making my own mac'n cheese around age 10.) He's learned to like it well enough, but he refuses to taste test because he "doesn't know what it should taste like." Fair enough.

For those who just want tips for cooking GF Pasta as opposed to wheat pasta, there are tips by brand at the bottom. I also recommend skimming the directions below as a refresher. 

Teaching Yourself To Cook Pasta

If you've had pasta made my someone else, chances are you have an idea of what to expect. If you're new to this whole pasta thing, don't despair. I'm going to do my best to help.

1. Select your pasta. This may seem daunting to someone who hasn't paid attention to all the kinds that are out there. A quickie primer:

Available gluten-free:

• Spaghetti–The standard. Long, thin/medium strands. Usually served with marinara (tomato) sauce. Angel hair is the same, just thinner.
• Fettuccine–Of the infamous Alfredo. Long, flat strands, approximately half an inch wide when cooked.
• Lasagna–Very wide, flat sheets with wavy edges used for making the dish lasagna (which is just layers of pasta, tomato sauce, cheese, and sometimes meat).
• Linguini–Somewhere between spaghetti and fettucine. Not as wide or flat.
• Macaroni–Generic name in the US for tubular pasta (like the Kraft commercials). Often curves slightly.
• Penne/Ziti–Both also tubular. Penne has pointy edges and is usually ridged. Ziti is smoother with flat edges. These do not curve in the same way macaroni will.
• Shells–Shaped like… shells! The large ones are meant to be stuffed, which is a bit labor-intensive but can be very tasty. Smaller ones can be eaten however you like.
• Fun shapes–Made with kids in mind, these are whimsically shaped to resemble animals, cartoons characters, etc.

I haven't found 'em yet… let me know if you can!

• Farfalle–Shaped like bowties.
• Stuffed pastas: Ravioli, tortellini, etc.–Flat sheets of pasta surrounding various stuffings, such as meats, cheeses, and vegetables.
• Fusilli–Like curly spaghetti.
• Plus many, MANY more.

As if that weren't enough to make your head spin, there are also now several GF brands to choose from. Tinkyada is far and away the best GF pasta on the market (it tastes like the real stuff, if not better!), and can be found in any specialty store, online or off, that's worth its salt. If they don't carry it, ask. Bio Nature is another passable brand, although the flavor is not nearly as good and it can be very grainy. Also be very careful reading the packaging, as their organic pastas are made with semolina, which is not gluten free. There are plenty of other brands available, including single-serving macaroni and cheese boxes (Yes, like the Kraft and Annies kinds!) but those aren't all created equal, either. More on them later as I continue to investigate them.

For now, lets assume you've chosen a brand off the shelf. Just what is it made of, if not wheat? Brown rice is very common. It will be darker than wheat pasta, but looks identical when cooked. There are also pastas made using corn, potato–and all the other GF flours out there. And for people who love the colored stuff, Tinkyada has spinach and tomato curls as well as spinach spaghetti (which also tastes just like the wheat stuff). Don't look at me strangely, born'n bread celiacs. They're good.

Your GF pasta will most typically come dry and uncooked. You may be lucky enough to have a local store selling fresh pasta, but even that may need to be cooked in boiling water.  

2.  Boil the water. There are plenty of cookbooks that will teach you this fine art. (Fill the pot, put it over the heat, wait.) What you should know for pasta is this:

• Use an appropriately sized pot. One normal-sized package, containing several servings, should have a fairly large pot. Fill about 3/4 with water. 
• Depending on brand and kind, add salt and/or oil to the water. Salt enhances flavor. Oil keeps it from sticking together. This is more important with things like fettuccine, which will bond together and form uncooked clumps.

The time to boil will vary by the size. "Boiling" is any time that bubbles appear on the bottom and float to the surface. That is wussy boiling, though. You want something closer to a "rolling boil," when the water is turbulent and has lots of bubbles churning things up. As long as your stove is functioning, you shouldn't need to turn it all the way up to good it to boil, though it should be on high. If your water stays at a consistent level below boiling for 20 minutes, turn it up.

Note: A pot with its lid on will boil faster. But DO NOT leave the lid on once the pasta is in!!!! 

3. Add the pasta. Just pour it in–but don't be stupid about it. Water does splash, after all. Stir with a fork or whathaveyou to ensure that all the pasta is below the water. If it remains out and sticks to the side of the pot it won't cook. 

Your package will have a recommended cooking time. For new brands, always check about 5-10 minutes before what they give you. You can leave it in if it's not done, but there's no saving overdone pasta. Set a timer.

Tip: When I was little my mom would break the longer kinds, like spaghetti, in half. They fit better in the pot and are easier for little people to eat. That's up to you. It doesn't affect cooking significantly.  

DO NOT leave the lid on when the pasta is in!!!! Pasta has a lot of starch, and it will bubble over. You'll know because the lid will start banging and you'll hear searing sounds as the water tumbles out and onto the hot stove top. It's also possible that you may have too much water.  If it continues to boil over without the lid, carefully pour some out and try again.
4. Test for doneness. This is the tricky part. It seems like there's some divine skill to it, like moms across the globe are born knowing when to drain the spaghetti. Anyone who doesn't cook pasta feels this way the first time they're told to get up their arses and do it themselves. Don't panic: It just takes practice.

Using a fork of some kind, lift out a piece or two of pasta. (Strands often clump. Smaller bits tend to fall back in.) Put them on a plate or the inside of your pot's lid to cool for a moment. Try cutting it with the edge of your fork; this should be doable without too much effort, but there should be some resistance. 

Be careful–hollow pastas will retain hot water in their centers. Knock the water out and taste your pasta. Your goal is al dente: Firm to the bite. 
Qualities to look for:

• A little chewy, but not hard. 
• Soft throughout without being mushy.
• Should be a consistent color throughout. If the middle still looks the way it did when you first put it in the water, they ain't done.

Not all pieces in a pot will turn out exactly the same. That's normal. I take it as par for the course that some fettuccine, which is very thick, will not be as soft as it should be. That's ok. Take multiple samples and do what's right for the pot as a whole.

If it's not ready, set your timer for another minute or three. Pasta is tricky, and will suddenly become perfect in a short space of time, so keep checking it frequently.  

When deemed 'done,' drain immediately (see #5) or pasta will continue to cook in the water. Turn the heat off ASAP.
What about that throwing it against the wall trick? We never did that in my house and I haven't tried it with any of the GF brands. Since they're made with different starches it may not work as well. Besides, I suspect it's a myth. XP 

5. Draining the water. This is not something to be taken lightly. The pot will be very heavy and your water will be hot enough to do you a serious damage. Take all reasonable precautions–wear oven mitts, etc. 

If you have a colander: Position it in your sink, either over the drain or wherever it is easiest for you to reach while holding a hot pot full of scalding water. Preference to the later. Hold the pot over the colander and aim for the middle. Pour rather than dump to avoid splashes. Always pour away from you.

If you have only a lid and your wits:  Put the lid on the pot, then tilt it so it is slightly open. This lid is the only thing that is going to keep your pasta inside the pot. Get someone strong to do this (ie, not your child). There are several ways to do this; try each one. If you can, try it over a colander or another pot in case you spill. Also: Your lid is about to get very hot. Use a mitt of some kind, but keep in mind that your hand needs to hold the lid without slipping. Tilt the pot so that the water runs out through the small openings you've made; adjust so that pasta remains inside. Always pour away from you.

The flow when turn to a thin trickle; do not be fooled! Put the pot back on its base and shake, especially for hollow pastas. Drain again. You may be amazed.
If you miss or spill–don't panic. You can rescue it!!  Using your hands or a utensil, scoop up as much pasta as you can. Unless your sink is super-clean, you'll probably need to rinse it, but at least your meal is still enough for–well, a meal. 

And that is how you cook pasta! If it still doesn't seem right, try again and do something differently. Ideally, get someone who has made pasta plenty of times before to sit in and taste test with you. Two opinions are often better than one. 

Specific tips for certain brands:  

We've learned some things about our brand of choice, so here goes.

Tinkyada: Add about 1 TBSP of salt. Immediately after draining, rinse with cool water (from the tap, if safe). This preserves the texture and stops is from continuing to cook. We've noticed a distinct difference after leaving Tinkyada in the fridge. When not rinsed, it becomes sort of hard and grainy–although it reheats back to its previous glory. It stays perfect throughout when it's been rinsed, however.

Feedback

As I've said time and again, I'm completely open to tips, factoids, and suggestions from others. Leave a comment in the box below so everyone can learn!