pasta

[BENTONIA]

If you cook pasta and then want to keep it, what is the best way to stop it sticking all together in a solid lump....many thanks in advance

[pastafreak]

Pasta was never meant to be cooked ahead of its intended usage time. If you want to hold it for a short period.....then I would suggest undercooking-then plunge it into boiling water to loosen it up. Don't leave it in water as it will continue to soften and release starch.
I have frozen left-over plain pasta......but only to be used in soups, I have also frozen lasagne and bakes......but they are never the same as freshly made.

[knob-ed]

Don't trust her she yoddles ^

[heathfield]

After cooking, leave any pasta you want to use later in the pot, then immediately run cold water into the pot. Stir it about, and leave the water running until the pasta is completely cold. Drain it, and store for 2 to 3 days in an airtight bag in the fridge. As Pastafreak recommends, plunge the pasta into boiling water to reheat it.
If you still have sticking problems, add a teasoppnful or so of olive oil to each pound weight of cold drained pasta and stir it in before bagging it.

[spudqueen]

I add a drop of olive oil to the cooking water, that stops it sticking together.

[littlewren]

To save cooking time I regularly make a lot of pasta and it keeps fine if you also make the sauce and stir it into the pasta before putting into containers for keeping in the fridge or freezer. It's a great way to make portions for a quick lunch to re-heat in the microwave.