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Pasta by the numbers
Larry Crowe / AP
STORY TOOLS 
More from LifestyleTo make great pasta, it helps to know a few key numbers:
• For most recipes, plan about 4 ounces of pasta per serving. So a 1-pound box will make four servings.
• To dress pasta, plan for about 3 cups tomato-based sauce per pound of pasta, says Becky Hays, managing editor at Cook's Illustrated magazine. For pesto, you will need about 3/4 cup.
• For easy planning, most pasta is sold in 1-pound packages and most jars of sauce contain 3 cups. To make four servings, buy one of each.
• When cooking pasta, plenty of water is essential. For each pound of pasta, you will need to boil at least 4 quarts of lightly salted (about 1 tablespoon) water. A 6- to 8-quart pot is best.
• When cooking for a crowd, don't try to cook 2 pounds of pasta in one pot, say the editors of Cook's Illustrated. It will take too long for the water to return to a boil. Instead, use two pots.
• Cooking time will vary by pasta shape and size, but a good rule of thumb is to drain the pasta when you think it is about 30 seconds away from being done. Residual heat in the pasta will finish the cooking.
— The Associated Press
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