Editing Pasta (section)

===Cooking===
Pasta, whether dry or fresh, is eaten after cooking it in hot water. For Italian pasta, which is unsalted, salt is added to the cooking water. This is not the case for Asian wheat noodles, such as [[udon]] and [[lo mein]], which are made from salty dough.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moskin |first=Julia |date=2024-04-08 |title=Yes, You Can Wash Cast Iron: 5 Big Kitchen Myths, Debunked |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/dining/kitchen-myths.html |access-date=2024-04-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In Italy, pasta is often cooked to be [[al dente]], such that it is still firm to the bite. This is because it is then often cooked in the sauce for a short time, which makes it soften further.<ref name="Moskin-2024">{{Cite news |last=Moskin |first=Julia |date=2024-04-20 |title=No, Your Spaghetti Doesn't Have to Be al Dente: 5 Pasta Myths, Debunked |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/20/dining/how-to-cook-pasta-questions.html |access-date=2024-04-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

There are a number of [[urban myth]]s about how pasta should be cooked. In fact, it does not generally matter whether pasta is cooked at a lower or a higher temperature, although lower temperatures require more stirring to avoid sticking, and certain stuffed pasta, such as tortellini, break up in higher temperatures.<ref name="Moskin-2024" /> It also does not matter whether salt is added before or after bringing the water to a boil.<ref name="Moskin-2024" /> The amount of salt has no influence on cooking speed.<ref name="Moskin-2024" />