"margaret suran" > wrote in message
...
> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> In article <irRLi.969$6Y5.308@trnddc07>,
>> "James Silverton" > wrote:
>>
>>> We used to go the oil-on-top route since it was supposed to prevent the
>>> spaghetti from sticking together but many years ago,
>>
>>> James Silverton
>>
>>
>> I've never known it to prevent sticking -- I think you dump oil in the
>> water to reduce foaming and possible boil-over.
>
>
> Oil in the cooking water is supposed to keep the strands of pasta from
> sticking to each other. It definitely does NOT, but it may keep you from
> blaming yourself when you look at the mess in the pot.

How about using a big spoon to keep the pasta moving and off the bottom
until the water returns to a boil? High tech, but definitely possible. :-)