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Al Dente

(ahl DEN tay)An Italian term, meaning "to the tooth," which is used to describe cooking pasta to the stage where it offers just a slight resistance when it is bitten.

Recipes

  1. Calabrese Pork Ragu with Fennel

    Pancetta, cured Italian bacon, is becoming available at many supermarkets; you'll also find it at specialty stores and in Italian markets.

  2. Touchdown Chili 7-Ways

    Slow-simmered chili ladled over pasta with an assortment of toppings. Hearty enough for a hungry middle linebacker.

  3. Beef Ragu Chiantigiana

    Ragu is best served with a noodle it can cling to, like these wide, ridged ribbons. This recipe is easily halved, but even if you're cooking for fewer people, you might as well make a whole batch and freeze the leftover sauce.

Articles

  1. Al Dente Pasta is Better For You

    Wed, 16 Nov 2011

    We’re often told to cook pasta only until it’s “ al dente ,” or ever-so-slightly chewy. Mushy, overcooked pasta ..... starches), which tend to send your blood sugar skyward. But al dente pasta is digested and absorbed more slowly than pasta that …

  2. Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: What’s the Secret?

    Fri, 8 Feb 2013

    … cheese from his truck — which is why his customers routinely battle three-hour lines for a taste of his toothsome, al dente wares. He wouldn’t divulge all his secrets, but he gave me a lot, secure in the notion that nobody can quite do what he does. “Grilled cheese is such a personal sandwich,” he says. “Everyone has that go-to sandwich in their …

  3. 10 Things You Didn’t Know About…Cooking Pasta Perfectly

    Thu, 7 Mar 2013

    … thereafter. (5) The ideal for most people, though, is al dente , which you probably know means (roughly) “to the tooth ..... than the inside, the interior takes longer to soften. Al dente pasta is soft on the outside but maintains a pleasant firmness when you bite into it (as …

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Videos

  1. Tuscan Pasta

    Fri, 7 Sep 2012

    … so until they're tender crisp. Ready to add to our sauce. Our sauce is done. Veggies look amazing. And pasta is al dente just like our family likes it. And now, we're gonna mix the sauce in with our vegetables. It smells delicious. Looks …

    Al Dente found at 1:41

    our sauce. Our sauce is done. Veggies look amazing. And pasta is al dente just like our family likes it. And now, we're gonna mix the sauce in with our vegetables. It smells delicious. Looks beautiful,
  2. How to Make Ravioli

    Tue, 21 Feb 2012

    … through, but also you want them still a little bit firm, al dente , so we'll pout those in, and they're done, then ..... So, it's nice, fresh, soft, still a little bit al dente and firm, and what we're gonna do now is add this lovely …

    Al Dente found at 7:44, 8:30

    cooked through, but also you want them still a little bit firm, al dente , so we'll pout those in, and they're done, then we're just gonna drain them and set them aside. Okay, as our ravioli
    in a colander. So, it's nice, fresh, soft, still a little bit al dente and firm, and what we're gonna do now is add this lovely buttery mushroom sauce into it on the top, got a
  3. How to Make a Classic Baked Macaroni & Cheese

    Wed, 8 Jun 2011

    … So, as our onions softening about, we're gonna add our macaroni into our boiling salted water. We wanna nice and al dente about 8 to 9 minutes. So, our onions are about done now, so it's time to add in our flour. So, we're just gonna …

    Al Dente found at 1:44

    add our macaroni into our boiling salted water. We wanna nice and al dente about 8 to 9 minutes. So, our onions are about done now, so it's time to add in our flour. So, we're
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Food Blogs We Love

  1. Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

    Fri, 10 Feb 2012

    The best Valentine's Day present: MY BOOK. A sweet slice of life-- and pie history! More sweet history, and a recipe: Calabrian Love Knots! Totally sweet-- homemade Conversation Hearts! Chew on this: Al Dente blog loves my Conversation Hearts! Let's spoon. I want a party spoon. Spirited chocolate ...

  2. Carrots & Cabbage Kielbasa

    Thu, 16 May 2013

    … softened. Add the baby carrots and continue to cook for 10 minutes or until carrots have cooked to an al dente . Once carrots are cooked to an al dente , add the kielbasa and cook until the edges have become slightly crispy. Add the cabbage and stir …

  3. Chicken Florentine Alfredo

    Tue, 14 May 2013

    … to make dinner easier is the main strategy. For this dish, I found preparing the chicken and cooking the pasta to an al dente beforehand saves me a bit of time. In assembling this dish, both the chicken and pasta warm up nicely when combined …

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