On Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:03:52 +0100, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>Just bite your pasta a minute or so before the cooking time says. It may be
>what you are looking for. Look for a microscopic line or dot of white in
>the center. That's real al dente.

True.

>Many people are pleasantly shocked when
>they find out what it really is, and many hate it.

They didn't get it at the correct stage. You need a little dot of
white, emphasis on little. If it's bigger, people will crunch the
pasta.... because most people in the US use dried pasta (as you well
know).

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.