Bob Pastorio > wrote in
:

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> Bob Pastorio > wrote in
>> :
>>
>>>Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>>>
>>>>El21 > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Everytime I cook spaghetti, drain it and it sets awhile it all
>>>>>clings together in one clump. What do I need to do in order to keep
>>>>>each strand loose and separate?
>>>>
>>>>PUT THE SAUCE ON IT!
>>>
>>>That's one way. Another is to toss it with a bit of butter, maybe 2
>>>or 3 tablespoons per pound. I dump the pasta into a colander and let
>>>it drain. Meanwhile, drop the butter into the pot I cooked the pasta
>>>in, melt it and dump the pasta back on top. Toss it a few times to
>>>distribute the butter throughout and there it is. No sticky pasta.
>>>
>>>Take your time to put sauce on it, it won't get gluey.
>>>
>>>Pastorio
>>>
>> Bob, the only downside for me in using a bit of butter or oil, is
>> that when the sauce goes on, it tends to slide off the pasta. <G>
>> That's why I stir in some sauce instead. That said, however, if I'm
>> not serving a "sauce" and only using butter/oil, cheese, seasonings,
>> etc., then using a fat to keep from sticking is ideal.
>
> I think you're probably using too much. Last evening, we did a pot of
> spaghetti and dressed it with a marinara. I did a pound of pasta and
> about 3 tablespoons butter. When it was ready, I dumped the pasta into
> a colander and let it drain for maybe 20 seconds. While it drained, I
> dropped the butter into the pot and swirled it around to melt. Since I
> keep butter at room temperature, it melts virtually instantly in the
> hot pot. Back in with the pasta and literally toss it by flipping the
> pot up and down to mix the butter with the pasta. The whole draining
> and buttering takes maybe 30 seconds and the pasta is still hot and
> steaming. Plated the pasta, still steaming and each of us put the
> amount of sauce we wanted on top. Grated some Parm over top. Lovely.
>
> Nothing slid. If you use plain oil, and you use too much, maybe
> slippery pasta. But butter sets up on the surface of the pasta and
> isn't at all slippery. My northern Italian grandparents did it this
> way, as did my mother and as did I in all my restaurants. No slipping.
>
> Pastorio
>
>

I think you've got something there, the difference in behavior between
butter and oil. When I've tried it, I was using oil. I don't think I
used any more than you mentioned. I've never tried butter by itself, and
I'm sure that makes the difference. I will definitely give it a try.

Thanks,
Wayne