1. Boil water2. Put in a little salt for more flavor3. Stir and check every now and then until it's al dente4. StrainBoiling water: one gallon water per pound pasta, 8 litres per kilogramYou need to have a rolling boil prior to adding your pasta. This does notmean a few bubbles on the outside. A rolling boil means movement across thewhole surface of the water.Now you need to stir.The stirring of the pot as soon as you add the pasta is one of the criticalmoments. This moment is when the pasta can chimp together as the first layersstart to soften and release starch. Keep the pasta in light motion by hand, aswell as with the boiling water, and you are setting yourself up for success.Begin timing as soon as all the pasta is submerged and you have stirred. If youuse Barilla, like I recommend, they conveniently put cook times right on thebox, and they are spot on. And you should stir gently for a swirl or two every 3-4 minutes in a figure-8motion to keep the bits apart.