When you heat the pasta, sometimes you get a soft and dry dish that "swims" in a puddle of oil. Fortunately, these are avoidable problems that can be easily solved with some little care during the heating process. Learn to reuse leftovers, whether it's a simple spaghetti dish or pasta topped with a cream-based sauce that separates easily.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Pasta Without Seasoning
Step 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil
Use enough to cover the spaghetti, but don't add the pasta to the pan. Wait for the water to boil.
You can also use the methods described below, but this is the quickest and best for plain pasta
Step 2. Transfer the pasta to a metal colander
Choose one that fits into the pot of boiling water, preferably with handles to help you handle it.
Step 3. Dip the pasta in boiling water
Only thirty seconds will be enough to heat and revive almost the entire portion. Take out the colander and taste the spaghetti; if they are not ready yet, immerse them in water again. Repeat the tasting every 15 seconds.
If you do not have oven gloves or your colander does not have long handles, put the latter in a bowl and pour the water over the pasta
Method 2 of 5: In the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven
Set it to 175 ° C and wait for it to reach temperature. This method is perfect for seasoned pasta, but isn't very practical if you only need to reheat one serving.
Step 2. Transfer the food to a baking dish
Arrange it evenly in the shallow pan; if you leave uneven piles, the pasta will not heat properly.
If the pasta is dry, add a drop of milk or other sauce to keep it soft and moist. This is particularly important for lasagna
Step 3. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and put it in the oven
The pasta should be ready in about 20 minutes, but it is always advisable to check it after 15 minutes. The sheet of aluminum foil traps moisture and slows down drying.
If you wish, you can sprinkle the pasta with grated Parmesan cheese for the last five minutes of cooking
Step 4. Check the pasta
Insert a metal fork into the center of the pan and wait 10-15 seconds. If the tips of the cutlery are hot to the touch, then the pasta is ready; if not, put the pan back in the oven.
Method 3 of 5: On the Stove
Step 1. Most of the pasta can be reheated in a pan over medium-low heat
This is one of the simplest techniques; just heat some oil or melt some butter in the pan, add the pasta and heat, stirring occasionally.
If you have the impression that the dish is dry, add more sauce
Step 2. Reheat cream or wine based sauces over low heat
These toppings have a tendency to separate when heated quickly. To prevent this from happening, read the Con_Sugo_alla_Panna_o_al_Vino_sub last section of this tutorial.
Step 3. Heat the lasagna in the pan
Cut your portion and place it in the pan with the cut side down. Turn it occasionally to heat it evenly and make it crunchy.
Method 4 of 5: In the Microwave
Step 1. Use this technique only to reheat a portion
Microwaves do not cook evenly, especially pasta dishes with cheese or vegetables. When reheating large portions, choose the traditional oven which gives you more control over the result.
Avoid using the microwave if the pasta is topped with a cream-based sauce, wine or a sauce whose ingredients tend to separate
Step 2. Moisten the pasta with gravy or oil
If it's already seasoned, just mix it to distribute the seasoning evenly. If it is plain boiled pasta, add a little olive oil or sauce. This allows you to keep the food moist.
Step 3. Set the appliance to medium-low power
If you use too much power, the paste will become soggy; reduce it to half or even less.
Step 4. Cover the dish
Place it in a container safe for use in the microwave, preferably round, to prevent the food from cooking unevenly at the corners. Cover the dough by following one of these tips:
- Use cling film, taking care to leave a slightly raised corner to allow the steam to escape. This material traps heat by heating the dough homogeneously.
- Cover the container with wet kitchen paper. The steam that will form will heat the dough and keep it soft; this method is excellent for dry or lightly seasoned spaghetti.
Step 5. Heat the dough in short intervals
Run the microwave for a minute, check the dish and mix it. If necessary, continue to heat it at intervals of 15-30 seconds at a time.
If your microwave model doesn't have a turntable, stop it halfway through cooking and flip the pan
Method 5 of 5: Pasta Topped With Cream or Wine Sauce
Step 1. Heat the water in the pan for the bain marie
This is by far the best method for pasta topped with cream-based sauces such as fettuccine Alfredo. The indirect heat guarantees slow and uniform cooking, also avoiding the separation of the sauce ingredients.
- You can cook in a double boiler with two pans or with a pot and a heat-resistant glass bowl.
- If you can't practice this technique, heat the pasta on the stove in a skillet over very low heat.
Step 2. Put the sauce in the top, which is the smallest container
If possible, heat the sauce and then pour it over the cold pasta, then heat everything as described above. If the pasta, however, is already seasoned, put it in the upper container and wait for the water in the lower container to begin to simmer.
The fact of heating the pasta together with the sauce is not a big problem, but there is a greater risk that it will become very chewy or soggy
Step 3. Add cream or milk if they are already in the sauce
Cream-based dressings separate easily, because they are "emulsions" of fatty elements suspended in water. A dash of fresh cream or whole milk keeps the ingredients well combined, reducing the risk of ending up with an oily mess.
Step 4. For wine-based sauces, add butter or condensed cream
Wine dressings are also actually emulsions, but the acid content can cause the cream to curdle. To prevent all this from happening, you can add melted butter or you have to condense the cream, that is, heat it in a separate pan until some of the liquid that composes it evaporates.
Step 5. Heat the ingredients slowly, stirring occasionally
Moderate heat is the key to preventing the sauce ingredients from separating; mix gently so as not to break the dough. Continue heating until the sauce is hot.
Step 6. In an emergency, add an egg yolk
If the sauce separates as you heat it, remove it from the heat and place a couple of tablespoons in a bowl. Work it quickly with an egg yolk until you get a smooth cream and then transfer it with the rest of the sauce.
- If you are heating the pasta together with the sauce, the egg yolk will only make the situation worse. In this case, add a handful of flour to thicken the sauce and absorb the excess grease.
- If the egg yolk coagulates and forms lumps before you can mix it properly, throw it away together with the little sauce you added it to and try again with less liquid and beating it faster. However, if there are very few lumps, you can strain the mixture and add it to the rest of the dressing.
Advice
- If you think there will be some leftovers, cook the pasta slightly al dente. If it is already very soft and overcooked, there is no method that can guarantee a good consistency once heated.
- For a good result in terms of flavor and texture, consume the leftover pasta within three days.
- Surprisingly, according to some research, heated pasta raises blood sugar slightly more than freshly cooked or cold pasta. The study of the phenomenon is still ongoing.
Warnings
- Do not eat pasta that has been cooked for more than seven days or one that gives off a strange smell.
- Be very careful as all bowls and containers are very hot when you take them out of the microwave.
