al dente (firm to the bite)
al DEN-teh
Al dente (literally 'to the tooth') means pasta that still offers slight resistance when bitten. Overcooked pasta (scotta) is considered a serious culinary failure in Italy.
La pasta deve essere cotta al dente, non scotta.
The pasta must be cooked al dente, not overcooked.
Assaggio un filo di spaghetti per verificare che sia al dente.
I taste a strand of spaghetti to check it is al dente.