Machine for rapidly cooking batches of spaghetti

A machine for rapidly cooking individual portions of spaghetti or the like comprising, in combination:

• a batcher device for forming and delivering at an outlet a desired portion of raw spaghetti;
• a pressurized water system including a boiler for heating and containing hot water under pressure;
• a first vertically oriented chamber for partial cooking and a second vertically oriented chamber cascade connected with said first chamber for completing the cooking;
• said first chamber being supported inside said boiler below the outlet of said batcher device and provided with a normally closed first gate valve through which, when opened, a portion of raw spaghetti is introduced into said first chamber, a second normally closed gate valve operative when opened to introduce pressurized hot water from said boiler into said first chamber for rapidly partially cooking said portion of spaghetti, and a third normally closed gate valve, which when opened and said second valve is closed, causes a sudden pressure drop and formation of steam in said first chamber and transfer of said portion of partially cooked spaghetti and residual water into said second chamber for completion of the cooking;
• said second chamber having sufficient volume to allow expansion of steam transferred thereto from said first chamber and being closed at its lower end with a normally closed door through which, when opened, said portion of completely cooked spaghetti is removed by gravity.