When boiling water for pasta, is it better to start with cold water or hot water out of the sink?
For some reason I remember hearing from my dad when I was younger that you should always start with cold water, but i cant remember why. Now I am in college trying to cook for myself and some kids are starting with hot water, while other kids are starting with cold water.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Cold.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
I was taught to start with cold water, and bring that to a boil. Also if you wait to salt your water until after it starts to boil, it will boil faster.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Doesn’t matter. It still reaches boiling point at 212 degrees
July 15th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
start by using cold water and a little salt what until boil ling and then run for about 10min then just take out a piece then throe it against the wall if it sticks its dun OK truly a good answer
July 15th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
It doesn’t really matter if you start with cold or hot water. You don’t put the pasta in there anyway until the water is boiling. If you start with hot water the water just boils faster, so you get to eat quicker.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Your dad was correct. When boiling water for anything start with cold water. Cold water from the pipe picks up less sediment coming thru the pipe to the tap. Hot water picks up and hangs on to that sediment and then you are stuck with won’t boil out in your pasta.
Enjoy cooking!!!!
July 15th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Use cold water, never use hot water out of your tap for drinking or for cooking.
14. Can I drink hot tap water?
No, don’t use hot water from the tap for food or beverage preparation. Your hot water systems (tanks, boilers) contain metallic parts that corrode over time and contaminate the hot water. Instead, use cold water and heat it up for warm beverages or food preparation.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
I’ve always started with cold water. But I don’t add the salt until it’s boiling, something about salt re sting on the bottom of the pot could corrode it. So the salt almost instantly dissolves when it hits the hot water. (Chemistry class was a long time ago!) Bring back to a boil and stir in the pasta.
I don’t use oil, and I break the long strands before adding them so they get into the boiling water faster.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Hot water has more minerals in it from copper and from the heat “leeching” minerals out of the hot water heater into the water as it is heating up.
The “harder” the water is where you live, the more noticeable the difference between food cooked in hot water as opposed to cold water.
When water has a lot of minerals in it, it tastes and smells different from soft water (and the cold water tap has water that is “softer” = less minerals).
I can’t taste the difference, though!
July 15th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
All water is cold at the beginning unless you get your water from “old faithful”
July 15th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Cold. Always. Especially for coffee. Cold contains air that is needed for coffee flavor and hot picks up sediment and minerals from the water heater and the pipes that would end up in your food.
Unless, you have one of those instant hot water dispensers installed at your sink for instant hot water for coffee, tea and the like.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
it’s not the temperature of the water that matters, it’s the impurities that you put in your food if using hot water from the tap for comsumption.
Once the water is boiling it makes no difference. I boil mine in the kettle and then pour it in the pan to speed things up.
Don’t salt it early on it will slow the process.
July 15th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
my mother always prefers cold water, i dont know why
July 15th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
It doesnt matter what temperature of water you cook it with because when you heat it up on the stove it boils. When u use hot water it jsut boils faster, and cold water it just takes longer.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
Start with cold. Adding salt raises the boiling point of water, which will make it take longer to reach the boiling point, but it makes the water hotter at the boiling point which will make your pasta cook faster.