I have one of these long cylindrical containers where the idea is to insert pasta, add boiling water, and it will just sit and cook. It's possible I put in too much pasta, but yuck. The pasta tasted like flour. It was as if the hot water softened, but did not cook the pasta.

Let me know if you've tried it an it worked, etc. I don't think I'll try it again.

But all is not lost...I have used it as a really groovy vase!