Process for preparing quickcooking pasta

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF MAKING A PRE-COOKED DEHYDRATED PASTA PRODUCE WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING AN ALIMENTARY PASTA-STARCH DOUGH HAVING A MOISTURE CONTENT OF 25-35%, KNEADING AND FORMING SAID DOUGH INTO PIECES OF DESIRED SHAPE, COOKING THE DOUGH PIECES IN WATER TO GELATINIZE THE STARCH CONTENT THEREOF AND INCREASE THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF SAID DOUGH TO ABOUT 65-80%, WASHING SAID COOKED DOUGH PIECES TO COOL SAID DOUGH PIECES TO A TEMPERATURE BELOW 100*F. AND TO REMOVE EXCESS SURFACE, SURFACE-DRYING SAID PIECES IN AIR TO RENDER THE PIECES TACKY AND RIGID WHILE REDUCING THE TOTAL MOISTURE CONTENT OF SAID PIECES ABOUT 1-2%, FORMING A MULTI-LAYERED BED OF SAID SURFACE-FRIED PIECES WHEREIN SAID PIECES ARE INTERLACED AT SPACED POINTS OF CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND DRYING SAID MULTI-LAYERED BED TO A STABLE MOISTURE CONTENT OF LESS THAN 10% FOR A PERIOD OF FROM ABOUT 1 TO ABOUT 2 HOURS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 130* TO 210*F. AND SAID DRIED PRODUCT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY UNPUFFED AND HAVING AN APPARENT DENSITY AT LEAST EQUAL TO THAT OF WATER.