# How to stop noodles from drying up?



## rawr (Apr 3, 2009)

I'm really inexperienced at cooking. I've been making penne pasta with melted mozzarella over it, a bunch lately. I melt the cheese by putting it under the oven broiler, until the cheese is brown. The noodles that aren't directly under the mozzarella slices always end up dry. How do I stop that from happening? I thought about adding water; but wouldn't that ruin the tomato sauce?


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## themonkeytree (Apr 4, 2009)

I am not sure if I have had dry noodles before, but I can try and help you.  If there is not enough sauce then I would immagine such a direct source of high heat is drying the noodles that are on the top.  I would try and put more tomato sauce on the pasta so that it will stay moist in the oven.  I would not thin out tomato sauce with water, because that is going to make it less concentrated and not add flavor, but make it less flavorful.  I use chicken stock and or white wine to make more sauce then the original recipe yields.  Of course my first choice is add more fresh tomatoes if I have them, or more canned tomatoes if I have them.  Adding stock and or wine does make it less concentrated, but it is a much better choice than water because it adds flavor.

Maybe if you have a low or high setting on the broiler, turn it to low.  I also might try not using the broiler.  Just put it in the oven at 200 and that should melt the cheese in no time, without cooking the pasta too much.

I hope some of my suggestions help.


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## kadesma (Apr 4, 2009)

rawr said:


> I'm really inexperienced at cooking. I've been making penne pasta with melted mozzarella over it, a bunch lately. I melt the cheese by putting it under the oven broiler, until the cheese is brown. The noodles that aren't directly under the mozzarella slices always end up dry. How do I stop that from happening? I thought about adding water; but wouldn't that ruin the tomato sauce?


How about adding a little more sauce and then sprinkling with a good parmesan cheese instead of the mozz..Then there is no need to use the broiler...
kadesma


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## Jikoni (Apr 4, 2009)

Urmaniac should come to your rescue! Where is she? I think to keep any pasta yummy and not dry, the answer is in the sauce. Mozzarella is not a great melting cheese, under the oven. Try gruyere. Alternatively make a sauce  put mozzarella on top. The sauce will stop the pasta from drying and the mozzarella doesn't have to melt in between to do the work.


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## jabbur (Apr 4, 2009)

Make sure your noodles are all "hidden" in the sauce or very well coated with sauce.  You still may get some crunchiness but in my book, that is not necessarily a bad thing.


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