[orev]

> * do not put oil in your cooking water, it will NOT help it not stick.

Using oil has never been about preventing it from sticking, despite so many people repeating this myth. Anyone can plainly see that the oil floats on top of the water and never touches the pasta.

The only purpose of the oil is to prevent foaming so it doesn’t boil over.

[zparky]

Wait does that work?

[orev]

Yes, generally. The mistake most people make with a boiling pot of water is they start the heat on high, and when the water gets to a boil they keep it on high. You really need to turn it down to medium or lower to just maintain the boil. If it stays on high, the violent agitation breaks down the pasta and releases a lot of starch.

If you turn the heat down to a reasonable level, then yes, the oil will do a lot to help prevent boil over.