What is al dente (sp?)?
 

Can an Italian pasta pro explain this term please?

"to the bite"

This is a term used for vegetables too - it means they're not cooked for people who wear false teeth.

I am by no means a pro. However, I do know that to me, it is the best way to eat pasta. I can't stand mushy pasta or veggies for that matter. The food is slightly bouncy or stiffer or well, I can't think of the right word, but let us just say not overcooked at all.

Maybe someone else has the word for it. I always ask the restaurant to make sure my pasta and veggies are al dente. (sp?) YUMMY...Food :)

"to the tooth" (or teeth) is more literal, I think. Referring to a slightly elastic texture which comes from cooking pasta just under "overcooked" (when it no longer springs back).

At the risk of sounding snobby, it seems like no decent restaurant would serve their pasta any other way. I would think to request it, just as I would not ask for "unlumpy" mashed potatoes, nor "unrunny" scrambled eggs.

Best wishes,

Rex

it simply refers to the pasta
having a bitable texture to it ie you teeth dont go straight through
it, but have to bite . Cook slightly less than recommended time,tasting often.when ready drain immediately.Sam

My dentist, Al Dente married a French girl, Bonnie Peteet.

Chewy when it comes to pasta, still crunchy when it comes to vegetables.

"Al dente" literally means "against the teeth", an expression for not mushy, just a little bit undercooked...

Well, having been dragged to an Olive Garden years ago I learned my lesson. They specialize in mushy pasta.

I agree with you, no decent restaurant would serve pasta any other way. But since I was traumatized at that lousy place I can't help but specify :)

"My dentist, Al Dente married a French girl, Bonnie Peteet."

Yes Patrick, but they had to get a divorce because Al was always looking down in the mouth.
((H))

regarding vegetables, at least, the Italians seem to like them either raw or hammered. Not a lot of al dente veg in my experience.

Yes, it's "to the tooth" and just a hair short of being cooked through. To test if the pasta is indeed al dente when cooking it at home, throw a piece against the nearest wall - if it sticks, it's al dente; if it falls to the floor, it's overcooked.

If it falls to the floor, then the Ten Second Rule applies. ;-)

I thought it was the 5 second rule?

Either way, it's OVERCOOKED! Do you REALLY want to eat it?

StCirq, by the way, I like how you qualified this with "when cooking it at home." Would a fine restaurant frown upon my winging a strand of spaghetti against the wall?

This thread reminds me why I never order "angel hair" pasta out. It is almost impossible to cook it al dente, but if the chef manages to, it will still overcook while sitting on a hot plate in a hot sauce while waiting to be brought to the table.

I hjave always heard that colloquially "to the tooth" meaning slightly firm. Rex- I ask for what I want & do not really care about offending the restaurant, unless I am saying recommend somthing. Om scrambled eggs, ion Brussels they were served so soft that I saw the server mix cream into them and stir before serving. I would never order scrambled or sunnyside up eggs without specifying how. It's w a waste of time and money.

PLMN- oh honey, whatever in the world were you doing in an Olive Garden?

ninasdream,

Unfortunately, some of us in the smaller towns have no alternative for Italian if we want to eat out. :(

jocelyn, I don't want to be argumentative, but I find that hard to believe. But then, I am not much for chain restaurants. I know I sound like a snob, but if I couldn't find a little mom & pop place that knew how to do it I think I'd skip Italian. I did without pizza for a year in Arkansas, so I guess I can feel your pain.