# Foods that are easy, but a pain in the butt to make?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-are-easy-but-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-make/820846>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 6, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-are-easy-but-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-make/820846 "2018-09-06T00:48:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-are-easy-but-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-make/820846/81 "2018-09-08T00:21:37Z")

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> [@DavidwithanR](#):
>
> … though I think with pouring over enough water for the regular noodles, it might be easy to adversely affect the texture (and the wet-factor if there is such a thing) of everything else in the dish.

Not if you use dry noodles.

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-are-easy-but-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-make/820846/82 "2018-09-08T00:26:54Z")

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> [@DavidwithanR](#):
>
> … though I think with pouring over enough water for the regular noodles, it might be easy to adversely affect the texture (and the wet-factor if there is such a thing) of everything else in the dish.

In my experience, there’s enough moisture in the sauce and other ingredients to cook the noodles without adding water.

I always make my own sauce (pureed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste—all seasoned, of course, and with EVOO), and I never precook the noodles.

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**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-are-easy-but-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-make/820846/83 "2018-09-08T00:52:52Z")

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> [@zombywoof](#):
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> Well, if you think mashed potatoes are a pain, then surely french fries are worse - you still have the peeling and the cutting, but a bunch of messy oil to deal with and dispose of rather than a pot of water you can just pour down the drain.

I would argue that peels are more “OK” on fries than mashed potatoes, at least. Also easier to slice, IMHO. Some of the best ones have the peels on. But, I parboil them AND fry them twice when I make them. So it is pretty messy and time consuming but requires less equipment and mashing/blending prowess.

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-are-easy-but-a-pain-in-the-butt-to-make/820846/84 "2018-09-08T01:02:12Z")

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> [@terentii](#):
>
> In my experience, there’s enough moisture in the sauce and other ingredients to cook the noodles without adding water.

It does, but the texture is definitely different. I think 95% of people won’t give a damn, but it’s different.

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