Can you cook pasta in an electric skillet?

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony@countrylife.net), November 13, 2001

Answers

Cindy, that's one I didn't try when we were building and without a kitchen stove but I don't see why you couldn't as long as you don't put too much in at a time. You may have to do it in 2 or 3 batches and get your water boiling first. The pasta needs to be completely covered by water.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), November 13, 2001.

Hello cindy, Sure you can! Just keep adding water until the pasta is ready. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001.

Absolutly, I do it all the time, pasta dosn't need nearly as much water as people think, though you need to be careful that it doesn't stick. If you want plain pasta use about four cups water/salt and two cups pasta-the thinner pasta works better,also put in some oil, margerine or some fat to keep pasta from sticking. Theres a whole catagory of recipies you can make in a e.skillet-a few years ago, Woman's Day magazine published an article on them, and it was on a website-but I cant remember now where it was. It is called "Frugal Skillet Dinners" You can use any deep skillet, but my Electric one is perfect. Heres the formula:

4 cups "savoury Liquid"-this can be chicken/beef/vegetable- stock, milk, "cream of...." soup and water, tomato sauce or juice (V-8 is great for this) what ever you have. Bring to boil in your skillet.

8oz thin speghetti (thats what they called for but you can use any smaller pasta, elbow macaroni will work, small shells, angel hair,) Cook till liquid is slightly thick and pasta is limp, about 6 min-you will need to stir often.

Stir in about two cups vegtables, reduce heat and simmer til vegtables are cooked and pasta is tender-liquid should be saucy.

Then add in your meat or protein stuff-a can of tuna or chicken, a cup or so leftover shredded chicken or beef, a cup of cooked ground beef, a cup thinly sliced sausage, a cup of tofu or tvp what ever, then top with a "goodie" crushed potato chips, chinese noodles, shredded cheese, sour cream what ever. I love this formula because theres always this kind of stuff in my pantry, and I can get it on the table in a half hour or less. Serve with bread and salad and its a meal.

Here's some "combos" that I use-tomato sauce, Mushroom/peppers sphegghetti, ground beef, parmesan cheese. Chicken broth or "soup base" (I make my own "Cream of " mix) small shells, tuna, peas, potato chips. "soup base" elbow macaroni, ham, peas cheddar cheese. Veggie stock, Ramon noodles, can of chinese vegtables, tofu and top with Chow mein noodles. You can come up with all kinds of stuff.

-- Kelly in Ky (ksaderholm@yahoo.com), November 13, 2001.

When DH and I had our first tiny little apartment in Toronto it didn't have a kitchen -- just a fridge and a cupboard. I cooked everything in my electric frying pan and a small microwave. Pasta can, indeed, be cooked in an electric frying pan -- as Ernest said, just keep adding hot water so the water maintains a boil but doesn't boil away.

I cooked Thanksgiving dinner in that electric frying pan and microwave!!! A chicken (there were only two of us then) will roast on one of those metal cooling racks placed on the bottom. Potatoes and sweet potatoes sliced around it will roast nicely, too.

-- Tracy (trimmer31@hotmail.com), November 14, 2001.