I didn’t know this

Seeing spaghetti stuck to the wall might seem quirky or amusing, but it’s actually a common technique used by home cooks to check if the pasta is done. The idea is simple: if the spaghetti sticks to the wall, it’s theoretically cooked through. This phenomenon has been discussed widely among cooking enthusiasts and is often seen as a rite of passage for new cooks.

The origins of using pasta sticking to the wall as a doneness test are somewhat murky but appear to be rooted in post-World War II America. As Italian cuisine became more popular in the United States, home chefs began experimenting with simple methods to determine when pasta was perfectly cooked. While there is no definitive historical documentation, it’s believed that this method gained popularity due to its simplicity and visual satisfaction.

The science behind spaghetti sticking involves the transformation of starches within the pasta. As spaghetti cooks, the starches swell with water and turn gelatinous. Once they reach an optimal level of hydration and structural consistency, they become sticky. When thrown against a wall, properly cooked spaghetti will cling due to this gelatinous starch. Underdone pasta lacks this sticky attribute, and overcooked pasta becomes too mushy to adhere properly.