{
  "key": "Al-Dente",
  "value": "The general idea is to cook your pasta for slightly less than the recommended cooking time. For example, if you’re cooking dried pasta (pasta secca) then a good rule of thumb is to cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions, before fishing out a piece of pasta and tasting. If the pasta is firm but not chalky, then it’s ready to be drained. Some packets of dried pasta will specify an ‘al dente’ cooking time – which can usually be trusted to deliver good results – but it’s still worth testing the pasta while it cooks."
}