What's the opposite of the term al dente

[perfection]

I know what is 'al dente' - but i do not recall the culinary term (italian or otherwise) to describe a pasta cooked mushy or soft (deliberately or accidently). In other words i want to know the term that could describe and mean the opposite of al dente - i am sure there is one

Any help ?

[nowIamone]

I know a term within my Italian family that has always been used but don't know if it has any real linguistic or culinary basis.

Over the years, the one generation that came here as toddlers, or the ones born here soon after arrival, that were raised in the Italian speaking house developed what might one might call a "pigeon Italian" or terms and language that are half English, half Italian and what may be a smattering of Japanese-Filipino terms (from the farm workers) thrown in. Took me years to figure out that they had developed their own version of the Italian language as the neighborhood understood them for the most part! I don't even know how it would be spelled, but phonically "mush-shod"

This is more than you ever needed to know and probably no help what so ever.

[Ma Facon]

Al Dente = "To The Tooth" The opposite would be mush/overcooked/baby food, Because they don't have teeth yet.

[gonefishin]

How about...

alla gomma = "to the gum"



dan

[perfection]

So there isn't really an fficial term to describe this eh?

Any Italian chefs on this forum ?

[DC Sunshine]

Originally Posted by gonefishin

How about...

alla gomma = "to the gum"
dan

rofl Dan - pretty much what I was thinking.

I've not heard a term for it - maybe "pap"? (as in baby food)

Why would one want to cook it that way anyway? My family call it - "Mum, this pasta is horrible!" if I leave it too long.

[siduri]

Hi everyone,
the term for overcooked pasta is "scotta" - which means overcooked. (The word when used as a verb means very hot, but as an adjective it means overcooked.) If an italian were to eat overcooked pasta he would say "la pasta e' scotta"

[panini]

NowIamone,
Mushad is correct for the Italian-American slang. Mushy, slouchy,wrinkled. It can also be used to comment on someones personality or dress.

[abefroman]

It goes
al dente
regular
well done

I read that on the back of a package once

[abefroman]

Originally Posted by siduri

Hi everyone,
the term for overcooked pasta is "scotta" - which means overcooked. (The word when used as a verb means very hot, but as an adjective it means overcooked.) If an italian were to eat overcooked pasta he would say "la pasta e' scotta"

I wouldn't use the phrase in Greece

lol

[gonefishin]

Hi pan


dan

[siduri]

Originally Posted by abefroman

I wouldn't use the phrase in Greece

lol

oh, right. My greek friend had told me that once. But i hear greek pasta is usually "scotta" (in the italian sense)

[siduri]

Originally Posted by abefroman

It goes
al dente
regular
well done

I read that on the back of a package once

Hmm, if it;s "pasta" you're talking about, which is an italian word for flour and water alimentary paste (what a horrible term) - then what they call "well-done" is not well done at all, but badly done, because overdone. Ok, just being funny. I'm actually not a snob about how these things are cooked, and if the dish is supposed to have soft noodles, that's fine with me, but not italian pasta dishes.

[blueschef]

hammered! Killed! Dead! Inedible!

[bubbamom]

how about "al-mushy"