[danpalmer]

Except that would not cook the pasta.

I haven’t tried this technique yet, but one of the aims is to still cook the pasta effectively. I know from experience that your hypothetical won’t cook most dried pasta.

[KennyBlanken]

You "know" incorrectly. Pasta "cooking" is mostly rehydration, and that happens at temperatures well, well below boiling.

https://www.seriouseats.com/tips-for-better-easier-pasta

Getting the water to a boil is probably just a way for Barilla to make the instructions foolproof- after adding the pasta, the water will still be hot enough to rehydrate said pasta.

[justsomehnguy]

> instructions foolproof

and allows a leeway for a different pots, stoves, fried off power cables...

I use this technique when I don't want to bother running a second stove top and making a sauce or something for the pasta.

It takes more time, though.