To cook pasta properly, pasta needs a lot of water. A too-small pot and too little water encourages the pasta to clump and stick together, thus cooking unevenly. For a pound (16 ounces) of pasta, you will want a pot that holds at least 5 or 6 quarts of water.on't rely on the package to give you the correct cooking time (this is only a guideline). Start timing when the water returns to a boil. Most pastas cook in 8 to 12 minutes. Test dry pasta for doneness after about 4 minutes of cooking by tasting it.