Quote:
Originally Posted by red-beard
When cooking. You want it to melt into the sauce to improve the flavor.
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Here's a better explanation than I gave previously. If you add the cheese (or anything else that is used as a minor flavoring agent... crushed red pepper, basil, etc.) when cooking the sauce, the flavor will be evenly disributed through the sauce - every bite will taste exactly the same. The flavor of whatever you add will be more muted.
If you add the cheese (or whatever) at the end, you'll end up with a fresher taste, where the individual ingredients stand out and every bite is a little different. There will still be enough residual heat to melt the cheese, although some pasta dishes don't call for the cheese to be melted, as it acts like a textural element that way.
Another trick is to add a little of whatever herb, cheese, spice, etc. during the cooking, and add an additional amount at the end. You can also drizzle a little olive oil (only if it's good quality, though) on the pasta, at the end.
JR