COOKING DRIED PASTA – The most common mistake when cooking dried pasta is not having enough boiling water. Have a large saucepan of rapidly boiling water ready, add a little oil & pasta to the pan, and stir for 20 seconds to separate the pasta. Boil for 10-14 minutes, depending on the shape of the pasta and the flour used. Drain it & eat immediately without any extra oil or butter if you’ll be having it hot. For cold pasta, rinse it under warm water and then cold water.