Pasta Question

[Tiny Tim]

Please move if in the wrong area...it really isn't a recipe yet, so I felt this was right.  Thanks.

Okay, now for the question.  I thought I read somewhere that you can make some dishes, mainly Fettucine Alfredo, with dry pasta, without first boiling it.  Is this true?  And, if so, how would I go about it?

Even if I don't get an answer, I'm thinking about taking a 9x13(ish) foil pan, dumping a package of dried pasta (probably corkscrew), a jar or so of alfredo sauce, and maybe some grilled chicken breasts together, and baking for a while at probably about 350*.  Think it'll work?

[hal4uk]

No, I don't think it will work - not without adding a lot of water.
Otherwise, the pasta will take all the water from the sauce, and dry it out bad.

I'd just boil the pasta.

[KevinG]

Only recipe I have for it says to boil it per the package instructions first.

[classicrockgriller]

Boil your pasta first unless you make lasagna.

[Tiny Tim]

Just curious...why would it be different if it was lasagna?  I really don't know, that's why I'm asking.  Maybe that's what I saw that made me think of doing it this way.

[classicrockgriller]

I bet Deb knows! ;D

[Gizmo]

Most pasta dishes I have seen are done with boiling the pasta first, however, I have also seen a few where the pasta is put in dry.  The key as mentioned before is having a liquid in the pan for the noodles to absorb and cook.  Knowing exactly how much liquid is the key and also, the other ingredients need to be tolerant of the liquid as well.

[EZ Smoker]

I know this is a bit off topic, but I'm Italian... my last name is Campisi... and I can't let you use Alfredo sauce from a jar.   I'm gonna tell you how my grandfather made it.  It's simple and delicious, with only 3 ingredients, or 4 if you want to add black pepper.   Here it is:

Put a stick of butter and a half pint of heavy cream in a sauce pan on medium low heat (don't use higher heat because the sauce can break, i.e., the butter and the cream can separate.  Also the nice slow heating will let it get thick and wonderful).  Once the butter melts, stir the mixture, and let it simmer a while.  When it gets good and hot, add grated parmesan.   I like about 3/4 cup, but some folks use more or less.   Stir it for a minute or two until the parm melts, and if you like you can add some black pepper, but do NOT add salt (the butter and parm bring salt to the party, and I assume your pasta is salty because, like a good Italian, you properly salted the water you boiled the pasta in until it tastes like the ocean).  Serve immediately, preferably over fettucini because the wide surface area of the fettucini holds on to a lot of sauce. 

It takes a little while for this stuff to get up to temp on the medium low heat, but it's worth the wait. 

[classicrockgriller]

Now ....that's Italian!

Thanks EZ!

[Tiny Tim]

Thank you, EZ, as well as everybody else who has commented and advised.  My main purpose doing it this way, is to eliminate dishes to wash.  I'll be trying it, probably next week sometime, and I'll be honest in my review, whether it comes out good or is garbage.

Thanks again.

[classicrockgriller]

Thank you, EZ, as well as everybody else who has commented and advised.  My main purpose doing it this way, is to eliminate dishes to wash.  I'll be trying it, probably next week sometime, and I'll be honest in my review, whether it comes out good or is garbage.

Thanks again.

TT, you can cook pasta in boiling bags and throw the bags away.

[Tiny Tim]

Still gotta wash the pot/pan. ;)

[hal4uk]

Tiny, I ain't Italian, but I've made Fettucine Alfredo hundreds of times -- exactly as EZ described...
It's as good or better as any you will ever eat anywhere in any fancy restaurant.

You'll notice, he didn't mention any danged guar gum or HFCS or modified anything...
The stuff in a jar is crap.

Do it like EZ told ya, and you'll never ever think about buying it in a jar again.

P.S.
Don't try to "fancy it up".  Don't add anything else to that recipe.  It's perfect as it is.
Heck, don't even add pepper; crack fresh pepper on it at the table.

[classicrockgriller]

Still gotta wash the pot/pan. ;)

TT, I wash dishes 4 times a day! Come on! Just do it for a good meal! OR

Buy something from the frozen food section and it comes with it's own pan.

[deb415611]

I bet Deb knows! ;D

;D

My answer is the same as Giz's.  I have never done it but it can be done.  It's a matter of adding the correct amount of extra water.

Cooks Illustrated  has a few one dish skillet pasta meals, I'll see if I can find something for you, if anyone is going to make it decent they probably have a shot.  Their recipe is likely to include brocolli but you would be able to leave that out ;D