# Not quite a pit: boxed pasta **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 17, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443 "2013-01-17T00:15:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/1 "2013-01-17T00:15:44Z")
Does anyone else have trouble with boxed pasta? We usually buy spaghetti in multi-pack boxes, each pound in a cello wrapper. These are easy to handle: snip off the end and dump into the boiling water, using simply hand pressure to control the fall of the sticks. I occasionally buy boxed pasta and it never fails to exasperate me - there doesn’t seem to be any good way to turn the box and dump it in without a splash, a scattering or some other form of mess, or risking a scald from trying to use the other hand to keep it from dumping too fast. Trying to take the bundle from the box has many of the same problems. Maybe it’s because I don’t use a giant pot that will allow me to do a 3-point shot with the stuff. Anyone else have the same problem, or a solution? ---
**Author:** ![Jaymosch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaymosch/32/2820_2.png) [@Jaymosch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaymosch)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/2 "2013-01-17T00:19:12Z")
I thought that only happened in infomercials! Tilt the box slowly and hold it close to the water. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/3 "2013-01-17T00:26:37Z")
> [@Jaymosch](#): > > I thought that only happened in infomercials! Tilt the box slowly and hold it close to the water. Yah, I’ve tried that - it’s damnably difficult to control the slide, aim for the pot, and not get your knuckles burned from the boiling splashes. Really, most kitchen operations don’t give me trouble. This, like making a smooth cheese sauce, just eludes me, though… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/4 "2013-01-17T00:30:43Z")
Don’t tear off the whole top. Just tear off a hole about 1 inch square. That way the pasta falls in a controlled stream rather than all at once. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/5 "2013-01-17T00:41:35Z")
Two pots. Boil the water first in one pot. Put the pasta in the other. Pour the water over the pasta in the first pot. ---
**Author:** ![Solved](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Solved](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Solved)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/6 "2013-01-17T00:57:04Z")
We open the top of the box carefully and fold one of the small flaps in half vertically, creating a kind of spout that helps pour the pasta into the pot. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/7 "2013-01-17T01:18:27Z")
I generally buy a two pound box and make 1/3 of it (more or less) at a time. I open the end of the box, put my right hand over the open end, and tip. The noodles whack my hand, and I grasp what I want to cook in a bundle and hold it. Tip the box back upright, and the noodles I want to cook stay in my hand while the noodles for later slide back into the box. Lift the ones in my hand the rest of the way out of the box and drop them in the water. Use my spaghetti spoon (one of the few unitaskers I own) to poke the ends in the water for the first 30 seconds as the pasta bends. Stir well to avoid spaghetti logs. Wow, it took a lot of thought to type out something I do without thinking. But yes, pouring the spaghetti noodles out of the box directly into the pot leads to a disastrous game of pick up sticks over boiling water for me. If I’m using a pound (or 12 ounce box, as are becoming more and more common), I do the whole thing, same “pour it into my hand first” technique. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/8 "2013-01-17T03:56:04Z")
I cook half a box at a time, usually, and pour the amount wanted into a bowl, then dump it into the pot of boiling water. Spaghetti I do the same except break in half first. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/9 "2013-01-17T04:06:10Z")
Whole wheat rotini is my go-to pasta. It’s harder to overcook, and I never thought about it, but I just put the pasta in the empty pan and then fill with water and boil from there. Check a couple times and pour water off when done. Maybe that’s not as successful with regular pasta? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/10 "2013-01-17T04:26:14Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I generally buy a two pound box and make 1/3 of it (more or less) at a time. I open the end of the box, put my right hand over the open end, and tip. The noodles whack my hand, and I grasp what I want to cook in a bundle and hold it. Tip the box back upright, and the noodles I want to cook stay in my hand while the noodles for later slide back into the box. Lift the ones in my hand the rest of the way out of the box and drop them in the water. Use my spaghetti spoon (one of the few unitaskers I own) to poke the ends in the water for the first 30 seconds as the pasta bends. Stir well to avoid spaghetti logs. I am fairly surprised that there is any other method except this one. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/11 "2013-01-17T14:14:59Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > If I’m using a pound (or 12 ounce box, as are becoming more and more common), I do the whole thing, same “pour it into my hand first” technique. Same here, except I add a step where I break them in half before putting them in the water so it’s easier to eat. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/12 "2013-01-17T14:22:54Z")
If I’m dealing with small shapes like fusilli or penne, I dump them into a measuring jug first (added advantage of better portion control) and then pour from the jug into the water. Simples! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/13 "2013-01-17T14:52:35Z")
> [@Jaymosch](#): > > I thought that only happened in infomercials! Tilt the box slowly and hold it close to the water. Me too. I’ve been doing this for ~3 dozen years, and I don’t recall ever having any problem, boxed or plastic wrapped, regardless of shape. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/14 "2013-01-17T14:56:24Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > Same here, except I add a step where I break them in half before putting them in the water so it’s easier to eat. Over 10 years later and I still can’t break my wife of this. Short spaghetti is _harder_ to eat, not _easier_. You can’t get a good swirl going with pasta 2 inches long. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/15 "2013-01-17T14:59:22Z")
Wear a kitchen glove. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/16 "2013-01-17T15:04:48Z")
Okay, I’ve been made to feel sufficiently inept now. 🙂 To make it clear, I am talking about long pasta, not small stuff. I’d be really infomercial material if I couldn’t pour elbow mac into a pot. Not everything above applies to how I do things (for one thing, I usually make quite a bit of spaghetti at a time, so the tricks for a standard pinch or two would be clumsy) but it’s given me some ideas. (Mainly, to stop buying boxed long pasta.) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/17 "2013-01-17T15:05:50Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Wear a kitchen glove. Duh. Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/18 "2013-01-17T16:35:38Z")
He’s probably referring to an [oven type glove](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=silicon+oven+glove&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asilicon+oven+glove&ajr=1). ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/19 "2013-01-17T16:43:34Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Over 10 years later and I still can’t break my wife of this. Short spaghetti is _harder_ to eat, not _easier_. You can’t get a good swirl going with pasta 2 inches long. Mine are usually about 4", which is just fine for me. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443/20 "2013-01-17T16:48:22Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > He’s probably referring to an [oven type glove](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=silicon+oven+glove&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asilicon+oven+glove&ajr=1). Well, I know, but I can’t see how that solves any part of the problem. It would make gripping the box more difficult and only protect from the heat of the water if you didn’t get as close as you shouldn’t in the first place… and have you ever gotten an oven mitt wet with boiling water? Yee-owch. I mentioned the water only with respect to the faulty technique of trying to use your other hand to control the fall of the pasta. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-quite-a-pit-boxed-pasta/647443.md?page=2)