当Epi团队开始头脑风暴的想法#EpiLunchWeek, we first delved deep into our own lunchtime quandries. Photo editor Chelsea Kyle's first question: "How do I revive a day-old portion of pasta?"
The most obvious answer: don't. Start with a pasta dish that'sas good coldas it is served fresh from the kitchen (perhaps packed into a jar).
But if it’s piping hot noodles enrobed in rich sauce you’re after, the answer isn’t so clear.
Naturally, the Internet is rife with ideas. One page I came across suggested dipping cooked—unsauced—noodles in boiling water briefly, just until warmed through. But in an office, you're generally confined to cooking in a microwave ornothing, so that method clearly won't work. Besides, I'm a big proponent of finishing pasta by cooking it for the last several seconds in the sauce in which it's to be served—so, for me anyway, cooked unsauced noodles are a thing that just doesn't exist.
My method for refreshing day-two noodles goes like this: Enjoydelicious pastaon any given weeknight. Pack leftovers in a microwavable container—a mason jar or quart container work well, as do the glass containershere, which come with a silicone sleeve to protect your hands once the jar heats up.
When you’re ready to eat, add a splash of water (1 to 2 tablespoons) to the container and place the lid askew (if the lid is metal or otherwise not microwave-safe, dampen a few layers of paper towel to drape over the opening instead). Microwave on high in 90-second intervals, stirring between each, to warm the dish evenly throughout. Once the pasta is hot, put the lid on securely and—very carefully—shake the container. If you are using a container with a lid that pops on, like a quart container or traditional Tupperware, the trapped steam can cause the lid to pop off while shaking, so take precaution.
Bring a little Parmesan—or whatever garnish you used the night before—to sprinkle over the top, and bada-bing-bada-boom: pasta, as fresh as you can get it (within 100 feet of your desk).
