Your first instinct is probably to flip the package over and check the time. That number on the back, like “10-12 minutes,” is your starting point, not a holy commandment. Think of it as a friendly suggestion, like when a friend says, “We’ll leave at 8 PM.” You know it’s probably more like 8:15.
The folks at the factory are testing that pasta in perfect conditions. Your stove, your pot, your water—they’re all a little different. That’s why you have to use your secret weapon: your mouth.