Do you:
1) Let the water boil first, without pasta, lid off?
2) Let the water boil first, without pasta, lid on?
3) Place the pasta in cold water and then boil? (lid on or off?)
Normally, I let the water boil first but feeling lazy tonight and the water and pasta are heating up, together.
Lid on!
Taught to me by an Italian chef.
Don't wash pasta before cooking, it destroys the absorbency
Boil the water, lid on or off. It boils faster with the lid on.
Salt the water well. Pasta is apparently better when cooked in sea water, because I don't have a handy ocean i use a generous half handful of salt.
The salt does 2 things, raises the boiling point a few degrees and salts the pasta.
When vigorously boiling remove the lid and drop the pasta in. Leave the lid off otherwise it will probably bubble up and flood your cooker top with water.
Start testing the pasta a couple of minutes before the recommended time. Take it off boil about a minute before its the right consistency.
Drain the water, Don't plunge into cold water to stop it cooking,
Pour your sauce over the pasta, mix it while heating the sauce, gives it the extra minute cooking. Serve.
Fresh or dried pasta makes little difference