# Just What Is "Al Dente" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 13, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358 "2005-09-13T00:02:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JimMacMillan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7bcc69/32.png) [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/1 "2005-09-13T00:02:14Z")
I’ve been told for as long as I can remember that Al Dente is a way cooking pasta. I was watching a cooking show the other night and the host said that contrary to popular belief Al Dente is form of Italian Cooking. What is Al Dente? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/2 "2005-09-13T00:10:06Z")
Just means that the pasta is still a little firm. ---
**Author:** ![drmark2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@drmark2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drmark2000)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/3 "2005-09-13T00:10:36Z")
Literally translated, the term means “to the tooth.” It’s basically cooking a given pasta so that the center is still chewy, not soft throughout. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/4 "2005-09-13T00:11:07Z")
It loosely translates to chewy. Basically it means to not overcook your pasta so it doesn’t have any more texture. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/5 "2005-09-13T00:12:17Z")
Al dente is cooking pasta so that it is still a little firm and not completely droopy. Italians often cook their pasta that way while Americans tend to cook it fully. Al dente also refers to vegetables and other foods cooked that way but it most often refers to pasta. [Here are all of the definitions.](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&oi=defmore&q=define:Al+Dente) ---
**Author:** ![constantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@constantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constantine)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/6 "2005-09-13T00:14:10Z")
Al Dente is a way of cooking pasta. Specifically, it means reducing the amount of time that you cook the pasta so that the inside of the pasta is still a little dry and crunchy. If the instructions on the box say “cook 11 to 13 minutes”, you cook it for 10 minutes so the inside. I was told by an Italian friend that “Al Dente” roughly translates as “to the teeth.” ---
**Author:** ![woodstock989](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f05b48/32.png) [@woodstock989](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstock989)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/7 "2005-09-13T00:15:50Z")
It’s Italian for “let it cook for 5 more minutes”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/8 "2005-09-13T01:21:55Z")
I’m pretty sure it means chewy… ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/9 "2005-09-13T01:52:16Z")
I think it was mentioned in _Rio_, by Duran Duran… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/10 "2005-09-13T02:03:15Z")
I actually have a sincere question I’d like to add to the OP’s… I once read the directions to one pasta package that said to properly prepare it al dente, to boil the pasta _with the pot lid off_. Why? How could that possibly make a difference, other than add a bit of time to the cooking? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/11 "2005-09-13T02:15:36Z")
The Dente family were famous Italian cooks, and Al used to do a talk radio show where people would call in with their cooking questions-same format as Car Talk. So Al Dente became associated with, “Don’t cook like my brother.” Leo Dente and Pauly Dente were well respected, but never developed the following of their older brother. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/12 "2005-09-13T08:15:38Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > I actually have a sincere question I’d like to add to the OP’s… I once read the directions to one pasta package that said to properly prepare it al dente, to boil the pasta _with the pot lid off_. Why? How could that possibly make a difference, other than add a bit of time to the cooking? Pasta water will foam up and rise out of the pan with the lid on. ---
**Author:** ![d1a1s1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@d1a1s1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d1a1s1)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/13 "2005-09-13T09:07:32Z")
I thought I knew what Al dente meant while I lived in the US. Now that Im living in Italy Ive realized what al dente really tastes/feels like. It seems the pastas (dried) that we get in the states are either less fresh or just not as good as the stuff here, go figure right. Theres a chewiness to the pasta here that is almost impossible not to achive, no matter how long you cook it. Its actually quite enjoyable and I was never able to achieve this when I used american pasta. Its not a dry crispy thing…more like a chewy resilient feel. Hope this helps? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/14 "2005-09-13T13:08:20Z")
I find that pasta is almost always inedible when I order it in the US, so I don’t anymore (not that it’s a big problem, since I haven’t visited since '99). Anyway, it’s just too mushy, saturated, wet. To get good pasta, it’s absolutely essential to use pasta made from durum wheat. Next point - undercook dry pasta about ten per cent. If you pick up a piece (a spaghetto?) it should stick to the fridge door, without sliding off (wipe clean after). With fresh pasta, boil for about half the time indicated on the package. It will retain the heat and keep cooking. 4 minute fresh fettucini will turn into an inedible lump of dough, if actually boiled for four minutes. Cooking pasta with the lid on? Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/15 "2005-09-13T13:37:33Z")
> [@The Gaspode](#): > > I find that pasta is almost always inedible when I order it in the US, so I don’t anymore (not that it’s a big problem, since I haven’t visited since '99). Anyway, it’s just too mushy, saturated, wet. > To get good pasta, it’s absolutely essential to use pasta made from durum wheat. > > Next point - undercook dry pasta about ten per cent. If you pick up a piece (a spaghetto?) **it should stick to the fridge door, without sliding off** (wipe clean after). With fresh pasta, boil for about half the time indicated on the package. It will retain the heat and keep cooking. 4 minute fresh fettucini will turn into an inedible lump of dough, if actually boiled for four minutes. > > Cooking pasta with the lid on? Huh? No. Pasta is overcooked already if it passes that test. Just keep biting until the raw t aste is gone, but it’s still a little tough – quickly remove from heat, dump the water, and add sauce, or plate, or whatever it is you’re doing. DON’T RINSE! ---
**Author:** ![d1a1s1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@d1a1s1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d1a1s1)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/16 "2005-09-13T13:44:13Z")
Alright this is the deal. If your using US bought dry pasta there isnt much, if anything, you can do to achieve true al dente. I dont care how long or how short you cook it, whether you rinse it, or whatever you decide to add to the water. The pasta I get here in Italy is dry but manages to come out al dente a lot easier. I dont even pay attention to the cooking time. I cook it for awhile (however long that is) and its still al dente. My point is, the quality of the product plays a bigger role, in this case, than cooking time. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/17 "2005-09-13T15:14:10Z")
> [@d1a1s1](#): > > Alright this is the deal. If your using US bought dry pasta there isnt much, if anything, you can do to achieve true al dente. I dont care how long or how short you cook it, whether you rinse it, or whatever you decide to add to the water. The pasta I get here in Italy is dry but manages to come out al dente a lot easier. I dont even pay attention to the cooking time. I cook it for awhile (however long that is) and its still al dente. My point is, the quality of the product plays a bigger role, in this case, than cooking time. I don’t agree with the first part of this statement. A wide variety of pasta is available in the US and you can certainly get one which will cook properly. If you want to try a little experiment get some Prince brand pasta and another like say Racconto or Barilla and cook them side by side to see just how much difference there is. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/18 "2005-09-13T15:35:21Z")
And, no, _al dente_ doesn’t mean "the way they serve it at **Denny’s**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/19 "2005-09-13T15:50:36Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > And, no, _al dente_ doesn’t mean "the way they serve it at **Denny’s**. 😉 Duh! Its the way they serve it at Dente’s! ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358/20 "2005-09-13T16:02:06Z")
My husband always jokes that he likes his pasta cooked “al Boyardee”. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-what-is-al-dente/321358.md?page=2)