From the New York Times this morning:

THE CURIOUS COOK

How Much Water Does Pasta Really Need?

By HAROLD McGEE

Published: February 25, 2009

The nation can save the equivalent of half a million gallons of oil a year by cooking pasta with less water and energy.

I have been doing this for years for a number of reasons -- I was in a hurry and did not want to wait on four - six quarts of water to come to a boil, or I in a particularly poor stage in my life, so I was only cooking with a hotplate which never brought anything to a rolling boil.