Pasta
Being brought up to regard
Potatoes and it's variations as the norm for British diet boiled, mashed,
chipped; Pasta always meant spaghetti, which meant spaghetti Bolognese. And
special occasions (when I was younger, - yes, I realise that's stretching
my memory!!)
Yet there are so many variations
of spaghetti; and it's not all saucepans, and burnt sauces requiring great
effort. It's not complicated ingredients, and fancy additives, for that hard
to acquire taste that can only be got in the Italian restaurant (ok, so it's
a pleasurable occasion to dine out!).
It's possible now to buy sauces
that are ready made, although after a while you'll want to try out your own.
With a more health conscious
society it's something to take a closer look at.
There are so many variants
of pasta. Spirals, shell shaped, ribbons...
Tagliatelle - recognized by it's long, flat strips of pasta.
Fettuccine - recognized by
thin flat strings.
Penne - recognized by diagonally cut tubes in many
sizes.
Farfalle - shaped like bows.
Rigatoni - hollow tubes, sometimes with grooved sides.
Conchiglie - shell shaped,
in varying sizes.
Spaghetti - long strands, string like.
There's so many more, but
let's not get complicated. With practice it's possible to decide that some
forms of pasta are better with differing sauces, meats, seafood
Chunky pasta may suit meat
or cheese sauces. Tubes may 'hold' sauce. Long pasta such as spaghetti may
be suitable for creamy or fine sauces when the sauce will coat the strands.
So, you have these various
types of spaghetti. When you've decided on the one of your choice you then
have to cook it.
I can only tell you how I do
my mine.
Get a saucepan that's big
enough to hold the amount of spaghetti you want, covered by a sufficient amount
of water when it's boiling, not to dry out, or be less than the amount of
spaghetti you're preparing!
Boil the water; when it's
boiling, add the spaghetti, and reduce the temperature to a 'simmering/bubbling'temperature.
I don't add salt, but I will add some olive oil.
You can check the packet (spaghetti)
for cooking times; but I usually sample it occasionally, and when it's just
turning soft, then it's ready for me.
It was once recommended to throw
a piece of spaghetti at the wall and when it stuck it was ready, - but I think
we'll skip that test!
I prefer it still slightly uncooked
because I like to think of the spaghetti being able to absorb moisture from
the sauce, that's to be poured over it.
When your happy with it,
drain the water off. You can buy special utensils like stainless steel pasta
tongs, or equivalent, to serve out the pasta with.
I make do with a big spoon
and fork!
Recipes for sauces are easy
to find, but here links to some: