If you’ve ever overcooked or undercooked pasta and suffered the consequences throughout your entire meal, you know how touchy this seemingly simple dish can be. Luckily, these simple steps will show you how to prepare the perfect plate of pasta.

1. Use a large enough pot. One of the most common mistakes when cooking pasta is using a pot that isn’t large enough to accommodate your noodles and water. As a general rule, one pound of pasta should be cooked in about 5 to 6 quarts of water or more.
2. Start with cold water. To avoid tainting your pasta’s taste with the metallic taste of your sink’s pipes, fill the pot with cold water to start. Hot water dissolves contaminants like lead much more easily, which could affect the taste of your pasta.
3. Boil thoroughly. Cover your pot with a glass lid and bring the water to a quick boil. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the natural flavors.
4. Cook pasta. Most pastas cook for 18 to 20 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Be sure to remove a noodle or two and taste them throughout the cooking process.
5. Drain and serve. Drain your noodles over a large colander, but be sure not to over-drain them, as this could cause them to dry out and stick together. Pour warm sauce over all of the noodles, and then serve.

The Most Common Cooking Mistakes [Cooking Light]
How To Cook Perfect Pasta [What’s Cooking America]
10 Secrets to Perfect Pasta [Good Housekeeping]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Angelo DeSantis