# Can I leave cooked pasta and sauce out



## legend_018 (Oct 23, 2007)

I just cooked some frozen spinache and cheese raviolis and heated up some sauce and meatballs. Mixed it all together and it's now piping hot ready to serve. but I'm not serving it until 5pm ish and it's 3pm ish. can I just leave it on the stove "of course not with the burner on". but just leave it there and heat it up before serving?


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## Andy M. (Oct 23, 2007)

Put it into the oven at its lowest setting (usually around 170F)


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## legend_018 (Oct 23, 2007)

like right now do that?


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## jennyema (Oct 23, 2007)

Yes.  Cover it tightly.  Check on it every so often.  You want to make sure it stays above 140 degrees.


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## Loprraine (Oct 23, 2007)

I always thought pasta was one of those "safe " dishes you could leave out, until people told me otherwise. I'd listen to Andy &Jenny.


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## Constance (Oct 23, 2007)

When I do that, like with baked beans or dressing, I usually have the oven on cooking something else, and it does a good job of keeping things warm. So you could just set your oven at about 200, and your dish will stay warm without overcooking.

I have also set finished dishes inside the microwave, which is well insulated. If it's for very long, I give it a little zap now and then.

Coolers also keep things hot as well as cold.

Hope I helped!

Now, if you ever need any help with ways to keep food cold when you are totally out of refrigerator space and coolers, let me know.


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## VeraBlue (Oct 23, 2007)

No.  The cheese in the pasta, and the pasta itself are the most potentially hazardous items in your dish.  You can keep something warm for 2 hours at 140 degrees before harmful organisms have multiplied to a toxic level.  You'd be better off keeping the burner on very low, adding water every now and then and then serving it.  

It positively is not safe to leave it on the counter and then reheat it.


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## jennyema (Oct 23, 2007)

You have pasta, cheese and meat holding. It DEF must be kept above 140!!

Pretty much anything that's not fermented or pickled or otherwise preserved needs to subscribe to the 40-140 rule.


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