Best way to put cooked spaghetti "on hold"?

[PeterB]

I would drain it, toss it with some rosemary olive oil or butter and black pepper, and refrigerate -- then serve cold or reheat; either way it's delicious.

[Psurfer]

The only decent end result will be following freeradical's point- undercook the pasta some, then finish it off before serving.
If you do it just right, you might be able to pull off that last yard of cooking in the microwave. Maybe.

[mikebw]

give it to me

[NewtonMP2100]

. . .hit the pause button. . .

[AlphaDog]

Psurfer wrote:
The only decent end result will be following freeradical's point- undercook the pasta some, then finish it off before serving.
If you do it just right, you might be able to pull off that last yard of cooking in the microwave. Maybe.

True pasta connoisseurs will cringe (I'm not one, although I do gag if my pasta is overcooked), but I use the "slightly undercook it, then cool it quickly, then reheat it in the microwave" method quite often. I don't dress it until it's hot again, although usually I'm just cooking spaghetti or angel hair that will be covered with sauce, and I'd also much rather serve pasta that's slighty underdone than overdone.

And speaking of "real Italians"... Do they really call the red sauce 'gravy' like I heard on The Sopranos?

[H1N1]

AlphaDog wrote:
And speaking of "real Italians"... Do they really call the red sauce 'gravy' like I heard on The Sopranos?

No, they are Sicilians, not Italians.

[AlphaDog]

H1N1 wrote:
[quote=AlphaDog]
And speaking of "real Italians"... Do they really call the red sauce 'gravy' like I heard on The Sopranos?

No, they are Sicilians, not Italians.
Ooops, sorry. I do so often get my Italians and Sicilians confused. So, all Sicilians are Italian, but not all Italians are Sicilian, right?

Do all Sicilians call it gravy?!

[RgrF]

I'm not a pasta worshiper. Just don't over cook it is all I ask. Cook until almost done throw in some cold water to stop the process and then dish it out al dente.

[Gutenberg]

AlphaDog wrote:
[quote=H1N1]
[quote=AlphaDog]
And speaking of "real Italians"... Do they really call the red sauce 'gravy' like I heard on The Sopranos?

No, they are Sicilians, not Italians.
Ooops, sorry. I do so often get my Italians and Sicilians confused. So, all Sicilians are Italian, but not all Italians are Sicilian, right?

Do all Sicilians call it gravy?!
The Sopranos are from New Jersey. People in New Jersey and Philadelphia call it gravy.

[AlphaDog]

Gutenberg wrote:
[quote=AlphaDog]
[quote=H1N1]
[quote=AlphaDog]
And speaking of "real Italians"... Do they really call the red sauce 'gravy' like I heard on The Sopranos?

No, they are Sicilians, not Italians.
Ooops, sorry. I do so often get my Italians and Sicilians confused. So, all Sicilians are Italian, but not all Italians are Sicilian, right?

Do all Sicilians call it gravy?!
The Sopranos are from New Jersey. People in New Jersey and Philadelphia call it gravy.
Ah ha! So it has less to do with being Sicilian or Italian than with being from New Jersey or Pennsylvania! I've got it! Thank you.