Spaghetti is my favourite type of pasta, especially the hollow version (called bucatini) as I find the texture nicer and it holds the sauce better.

For most of us, spaghetti is the convenient form of long circular strands of dried pasta (pasta secca) made from wheat and water. Home-made raw pasta (pasta fresca) can have the addition of eggs and or fresh herbs to add colour/taste.

I like to make my own using my Philips Pasta And Noodle Maker:

Very thick spaghetti is called spaghettoni. Very thin spaghetti is called capellini and is perfect in salads and soups.

To cook dried spaghetti I bring a large pot of water to the boil adding a slug of olive oil and a generous dash of salt.

I then add the pasta and cook until the pasta sticks to the splash back when you throw a piece at it. I do this to test if the pasta is al dente. This simply means that the pasta is almost cooked and still a little firm. This state is desirable because the pasta will keep cooking after you drain it and even as it is served. You don’t want over cooked pasta. 🙂

Drain (reserving some pasta water to make your sauces) and then cover in a light red or white sauce or simply fold in a raw whisked egg and olive oil. Indeed, Spaghetti Aglio E Olio is one of my favourite comfort foods.

Enjoy,

PK

Here are a couple of more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts.