You'll need a large pot filled with rapidly boiling, salted water (to cook 7 ounces or 200g of dried pasta, we generally add ½ teaspoon of salt to the water). Add the pasta, and stir now and then as it cooks to separate the pasta and stop it from sticking together (particularly spaghetti and fettuccine). Dried pasta usually takes between 8-12 minutes to cook (depending on the variety you use) and fresh pasta is ready in just a few minutes. Follow the cooking times suggested on the pack, or remove a piece of pasta to test for yourself. Make sure the pasta is cooked until it's "al dente"—tender, but still slightly firm to the bite. Once cooked, drain the pasta in a large colander.