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what Is the best way to reheat large quantities of pasta

Posted on 3/7/19 at 10:00 pm
Posted by Jibbajabba
Louisiana
Member since May 2011
3878 posts
Posted on 3/7/19 at 10:00 pm
If I were to make large makings of pasta dishes that have a sauce (such as fettuccini Alfredo, pastalaya, chicken and spaghetti, etc), what is the best way to reheat them for service?

I need to make several trays of a pasta dish a couple of days ahead of time but I need them to be hot and ready from the tray (I can’t make a portion and pop it into the microwave) when they are served.

Can I make a finished product and then refrigerate it, cover it in foil, then bake it for 20-30 minutes? Do I need to worry about sauces separating? Will the noodles get mushy? Should I undercook the noodles a little before cooking?
Posted by KosmoCramer
Member since Dec 2007
76490 posts
Posted on 3/7/19 at 11:26 pm to
quote:

I need to make several trays of a pasta dish a couple of days ahead of time


Posted by Gris Gris
OTIS!NO RULES FOR SAUCES ON STEAK!!
Member since Feb 2008
47358 posts
Posted on 3/8/19 at 12:47 am to
Undercook the pasta.
Posted by TigerstuckinMS
Member since Nov 2005
33687 posts
Posted on 3/8/19 at 1:02 am to
Freeze the sauces. Cook your pasta fresh before serving and mix with the reheated sauce.

Cooking a big pot of pasta takes ten minutes once the pot's hot. It's the sauces you spend an hour or two on that take a while.
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
15016 posts
Posted on 3/8/19 at 7:21 am to
There's always a chance dairy based sauces can separate when heating, especially reheating. I've made shrimp or crawfish fettuccini in quantity for parties and have always done so in an appliance called a Nesco. It is a cooker that can hold up to 3 gallons of product and can act as an oven or warming platform to reheat food. Mine is 3 gallons and my brother-in-law has a newer one that holds 4 gallons.

I usually make it fresh on site to avoid your dilemma, but have also used it to warm up pre-made dairy based food, but do so slowly under low to moderate heat and never stray too far from it to keep it mixed.

The good thing about the Nesco is it has a base container that you can add an inch or so of water to it and set the warming/cooking pan into it and the steam of the water helps keep things nice and moist, or you can just cook with no water if that works for you.
This post was edited on 3/8/19 at 7:22 am
Posted by glassman
Next to the beer taps at Finn's
Member since Oct 2008
116089 posts
Posted on 3/8/19 at 7:51 am to
quote:

Undercook the pasta.


Yes and put some of the sauce and water on the bottom of the pan, cover on low heat and let it steam gently.
Posted by Jibbajabba
Louisiana
Member since May 2011
3878 posts
Posted on 3/8/19 at 7:25 pm to
The long and the short of it is that I need to have a dish ready for 5pm to serve. I don’t get off work until 3-3:30ish. I want to be able to make a pastalaya or Alfredo and put it in a baking pan, refrigerate it overnight, and pop it into an oven for 30-45 minutes prior to service.

Is this unreasonable? I honestly have never tried to reheat pasta.

Posted by VABuckeye
Naples, FL
Member since Dec 2007
35474 posts
Posted on 3/8/19 at 7:30 pm to
Use a pasta that will cook in the baking pan when you heat it up. Barillo makes these pastas. No need to boil it earlier.
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