Perfect Pasta Planner … What’s for Dinner on the boat?

While preparing this week's lecture for The Five Minute Professor, I stumbled upon some brilliant advice for the galley.

Pasta is not a particularly “boater-friendly” food because it typically requires a lot of water sitting in a pan for 15 minutes or so. Even mild swells could wreck havock in the galley. But a little pre-planning will go a long way.

As you are setting your float plan prepare pasta for a few meals (depending on how long the trip is) at home. The pasta should be cooked to the very first stages of al dente (firm to the bite). Then rinse in cold water and then separate into single meal plastic ziplock bags and then store cold (refrigerate not frozen). Store in your on board refrigerator or ice chest until meal time.

When its time to whip up a home made meal, simply slide the pasta from the bag onto a plate (if one serving) or a microwave safe bowl. Reheat on medium for about 2 minutes and then add sauce or olive oil and seasoning.

Quick and easy onboard.

On a vaguely related note, I think it is fine (but odd) to be able to refrigerate pasta that has not been previously “frigerated”.

For more on pasta check out the Five Minute Professor facebook Group at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=51258148090