# Draining Pasta



## LadyCook61 (Jun 13, 2008)

Another silly poll  

Do you use a colander ? If so, what kind ?  A tennis racket? 
I use a rectangular one that fits over the sink.


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## pacanis (Jun 13, 2008)

If it's spaghetti, I use the metal collander that fits inside the pot it cooks in.  I set that collander over the drain, dump most of the water out of the pot, then set it back into the pot on an angle to keep draining and keep warm.

Other pastas I cook in a different pot and turn the pot upsidedown to drain, barely cracking the lid, and shake.


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## Russellkhan (Jun 13, 2008)

I use one of these strainers to scoop the noodles into a round colander sitting 
on top of a large mixing bowl.


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## LadyCook61 (Jun 13, 2008)

Russellkhan said:


> I use one of these strainers to scoop the noodles into a round colander sitting
> on top of a large mixing bowl.


 
I've got one of those too.


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## texasgirl (Jun 13, 2008)

I will use a colander or the lid to the pot and just tilt over the sink.


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## Barbara L (Jun 13, 2008)

I usually use a colander.  I would like a pot with a straining insert.  I tried one of those Pasta Pots they were advertising so much a few years ago.  It worked fine for awhile, but it was a cheap hunk of junk and ended up rusting.  

Barbara


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## GotGarlic (Jun 13, 2008)

I have three nested metal colanders that look like baskets. Usually, I put one in the sink and pour the pasta and water into it. For Christmas, though, I received a Calphalon cookware set that includes a Dutch oven and strainer insert; sometimes I use that and drain the water into the pot, then dump the pasta into a mixing bowl for further processing


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## pacanis (Jun 13, 2008)

Alton says you have to hit up a Tupperware party.  He said there's nothing better than that collander they have with slots, because you want to get the water out as fast as possible, and it has a lid to snap on and shake.
Looks like it would take up too much room in the dishwasher to me.....


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## Maverick2272 (Jun 13, 2008)

GotGarlic said:


> I have three nested metal colanders that look like baskets. Usually, I put one in the sink and pour the pasta and water into it. For Christmas, though, I received a Calphalon cookware set that includes a Dutch oven and strainer insert; sometimes I use that and drain the water into the pot, then dump the pasta into a mixing bowl for further processing



I have a set of three as well, and pretty much do the same thing. I also rinse it there with hot water before putting it back into the pot and adding some herbs and EVOO.


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## Russellkhan (Jun 13, 2008)

Something's funny with the math here. It adds up to over 100%, has done so at least since there were 5 votes.


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## Barbara L (Jun 13, 2008)

Russellkhan said:


> Something's funny with the math here. It adds up to over 100%, has done so at least since there were 5 votes.


I am sure that's because this poll lets you vote for more than one option.

Barbara


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## Maverick2272 (Jun 13, 2008)

It won't let me vote twice, but somehow texasgirl showed up with two votes, interesting must be a glitch.


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## Barbara L (Jun 13, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Alton says you have to hit up a Tupperware party. He said there's nothing better than that collander they have with slots, because you want to get the water out as fast as possible, and it has a lid to snap on and shake.
> Looks like it would take up too much room in the dishwasher to me.....


I have one and I love it.  It isn't any bigger than most colanders.  I rarely use the lid, except to sometimes hold it up to a pan to drain it.  It doesn't really snap on, but hooks in one spot, and then you hold the handles together.  Using it with the lid isn't practical for anything heavy (like a big batch of pasta) but is ok for salad greens or other light things.  

Barbara


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## middie (Jun 13, 2008)

Another colander user here.


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## Barbara L (Jun 13, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> It won't let me vote twice, but somehow texasgirl showed up with two votes, interesting must be a glitch.


You must have read what I wrote before I revised it.  I meant that you could vote for more than one option, not that you could vote twice.  Sorry--itchy reply finger!

Barbara


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## Maverick2272 (Jun 13, 2008)

ohhhhhhhh .


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## Bigjim68 (Jun 13, 2008)

I have one of those stockpots with a perforated insert.  You just lift out the insert and let it drain


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## Mama (Jun 13, 2008)

I use a colander.


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## CharlieD (Jul 2, 2008)

well, until I get together and go buy me a double boiler, it is colander for me.


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## bandonjan (Jul 4, 2008)

A colander for me, although I do have a 3QT pot with a strainer if I'm
making a smaller amount.


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## Mama (Jul 4, 2008)

LadyCook61 said:


> Another silly poll
> 
> Do you use a colander ? If so, what kind ? A tennis racket?
> I use a rectangular one that fits over the sink.


 
I didn't know they made a tennis racket that fits over the sink!


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## bandonjan (Jul 4, 2008)

A colander for me, although I do have a 3QT pot with a strainer if I'm
making a smaller amount.


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## LadyCook61 (Jul 5, 2008)

Mama said:


> I didn't know they made a tennis racket that fits over the sink!


 
Actually I don't either but I was thinking of the movie *The Apartment* when I posted about tennis racket, because Jack Lemmon in the movie used a tennis racket to drain his spaghetti.


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## Claire (Jul 5, 2008)

It depends on how much pasta!  AND if it is hand-made by my husband!  I often eat angel hair with veggies for a lunch for just me.  When I do it is a hand-held seive.  When I make a huge dinner for many, it is a rectangular one that fits over the sink.  When hubby makes pasta, it is a rather ceremonious thing we do, where everyone oooos and ahhhs.


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## VeraBlue (Jul 5, 2008)

I never heard the word 'colander' until I was well into my 30s and was working in my first professional kitchen.  The chef asked me to get her a colander.  I had to ask what that was.  I don't know how to spell what we (italians) called it but its pronounced 'skoolabasta'.   Funny thing, Lou's family called it the same thing.


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## LadyCook61 (Jul 5, 2008)

VeraBlue said:


> I never heard the word 'colander' until I was well into my 30s and was working in my first professional kitchen. The chef asked me to get her a colander. I had to ask what that was. I don't know how to spell what we (italians) called it but its pronounced 'skoolabasta'. Funny thing, Lou's family called it the same thing.


 
Funny, I grew up in Italian family and never heard of skoolabasta, only colander.


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## VeraBlue (Jul 5, 2008)

LadyCook61 said:


> Funny, I grew up in Italian family and never heard of skoolabasta, only colander.



Lots of italian and broken english spoken around here when I was growing up.


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## Claire (Jul 6, 2008)

Oh, I have a good story.  My mother-in-law lived in a very multi-ethnic neighborhood in Joliet when she was a young housewife.  A woman came over, frustrated and fraught.  She needed a ... well, a ... a....   Macaroni Stop, Water Go Ahead!  She wanted to borrow a Macaroni Stop, Water Go Ahead!  It took her awhile to realize that the woman wanted to borrow a collander!  To this day both women are long in their graves, but hubby and I sometimes call it that!


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## Bilby (Jul 11, 2008)

I ever only use the lid of the saucepan at an angle to the pot and just pour the water out. No extra washing up that way and if there is a little bit of water left in, that's fine as it just makes up part of the sauce.


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## Jeekinz (Jul 11, 2008)

I use Nigella's colander if I'm draining the whole pot.  If I'm making a sauce adjacent to the pasta pot, I'll use a spider to add the pasta directly to the sauce.  Then I can use the pasta water to control the consistency of the sauce.

Here's Nigella's colander.  The shape is perfect for tossing the pasta around to completely drain them.


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## GB (Jul 11, 2008)

Jeekinz said:


> If I'm making a sauce adjacent to the pasta pot, I'll use a spider to add the pasta directly to the sauce.  Then I can use the pasta water to control the consistency of the sauce.


I use a tip I got from America's Test Kitchen. I use a colander, but I put a coffee mug in it. I pour the water so that the coffee mug fills up. I put the mug aside and then pour the pasta into the colander.  I can then use the pasta water in the mug to use for my sauce if needed.

If I had a spider I would do it your way though.


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## ChefJune (Jul 11, 2008)

Now that I have my 8-quart pot with pasta insert, I use that.  Just lift the insert straight up and your pasta drains right back into the pot!


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## skilletlicker (Jul 11, 2008)

*Pasta spoon?*

Cooking for one, I usually pull the pasta out with one of these. Even if I never cooked spaghetti I wouldn't be without this gadget as a back scratcher.

Almost never bother with the big pot and pasta insert.


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## Constance (Jul 11, 2008)

We all all shapes and sizes of colanders that we use for different things. I use the insert basket from my stock pot for draining pasta; a round metal one for meats; a plastic one with slots in the sides, holes in the bottom and a handle, which I hang from the handle in the sink by the sprayer, and use for washing vegetables; and a small one that's just perfect for draining a 14 oz can of fruit or vegies. 
I have so much "stuff, my "stuff" has me.


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