Pasta is a delicious and inexpensive food that cooks quickly. You can boil the water and then prepare a sauce of your choice while you wait for the spaghetti to be ready. If you're short on time, you can sauté some minced meat in a pan and then add a ready-made tomato sauce. If you don't want to use tomato sauce, you can season the spaghetti with browned butter, garlic, and Parmesan. When you have a little more time to devote to cooking, try making a basil tomato sauce yourself starting with a sauté of garlic and onion.
Ingrediants
Spaghetti
- 450-900 g of spaghetti
- Waterfall
- 1-2 tablespoons of coarse salt
Doses for 4-8 people
Fast Meat Sauce
- 700 g of spaghetti, cooked and drained
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 700 ml of ready-made tomato sauce
- 450g ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan (optional)
Doses for 4-6 people
Garlic and Parmesan
- 450 g of spaghetti, cooked and drained
- 140 g of butter
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon of pink pepper flakes (optional)
- 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
Doses for 2-3 people
Homemade Tomato Sauce
- 700 g of spaghetti, cooked and drained
- 800 g of peeled tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ of a red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-2 handfuls of fresh basil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 pinch of pink pepper flakes (optional)
Doses for 2-3 people
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Cook the Spaghetti
Step 1. Decide how much pasta you want to cook
Evaluate how many spaghetti you want to serve to each diner. Generally each pack of pasta contains useful information to calculate the portions. To give an example, if there are three people in your family, cook 250 g of spaghetti.
Do not cook more than 900g of spaghetti at a time to avoid overfilling the pot
Step 2. Fill a large saucepan with cold or lukewarm water
If you intend to cook about 700-900 g of spaghetti, use a saucepan with a capacity of 5-6 liters. For a smaller number of diners, you can use a saucepan with a capacity of 3-4 liters. In any case, fill it about three quarters of the way with water.
Do not use a smaller pot than the recommended size, otherwise the noodles will stick together during cooking
Step 3. Add the salt and bring the water to a boil
Pour a tablespoon or two of coarse salt into the water and then put the lid on the pot. Turn on the stove and heat the water over a high flame until it boils vigorously.
- When the water starts to boil you will see the steam rising from the pot.
- If you want to cook fresh, rather than dry, pasta, don't salt the water.
Step 4. Put the spaghetti in the pot
Put on your cooking gloves and lift the lid carefully. Bring the noodles close to boiling water and drop them gently to avoid getting burnt with splashes. Stir with a wooden spoon or kitchen tongs to separate the dough. After a few seconds the water should start boiling again.
Consider breaking up the spaghetti if you prefer to eat it shorter
Step 5. Start the kitchen timer and stir the noodles frequently as they cook
Read the directions on the package to find out how many minutes it takes. Remember to mix them often to prevent them from sticking together.
- Since spaghetti are prepared with different flours, it is important to follow the specific cooking instructions on the package.
- Do not put the lid on the pan while cooking.
Step 6. Taste the spaghetti to see if they have reached the consistency you prefer
Remove one from the water and bite into the center. It should be soft in the middle as well. Remember that when cooked, the pasta should not be hard, but neither should it be soggy.
If biting into the spaghetti you feel that it is still hard in the middle, add 1 or 2 minutes of cooking and then taste another
Step 7. Drain the spaghetti when ready
When they have reached the desired consistency, turn off the stove and place the colander in the sink. Move the pot carefully and slowly pour the boiling water and spaghetti into the colander.
- Drain the spaghetti on the side of the sink farthest from your body and don't lean your head forward to prevent the steam from burning your face.
- Do not rinse the spaghetti with cold water, otherwise the sauce will struggle to adhere to the surface of the pasta.
Step 8. Season the spaghetti with your favorite sauce and serve them to the table
Sauté them in a pan or put them back in the pot and mix them after adding the sauce or divide them into plates and pour the sauce over them with a spoon.
- If you don't intend to eat them right away, let them cool completely and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator and eat them within a couple of days.
- Drizzle the noodles with 1-2 teaspoons of oil before placing them in the refrigerator to prevent them from sticking together.
Method 2 of 4: Prepare a Quick Ragout
Step 1. Saute the garlic and onion over medium heat for 5 minutes
Pour two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a large pan and heat it over a high flame. When the oil is hot, add a diced onion and two tablespoons of finely chopped garlic.
Stir and cook the garlic and onion until they release their scent and become translucent
Step 2. Add 450g of ground beef and cook for 7-8 minutes
Separate the minced meat with a wooden spoon and stir frequently until it loses its pink color. You can use ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey.
If you prefer, you can combine different types of meat
Step 3. Drain the meat if it has lost a lot of fat
Minced meat generally releases a lot of fat during cooking. If there is more than a tablespoon of liquid in the bottom of the pan, it is best to drain the meat. Place a glass or metal jar in the sink and a lid on the pan, then slowly tilt the pan so that the fats drip into the jar while the lid holds the meat.
- Let the fats cool before throwing them away.
- Do not throw hot fats directly down the sink as it could clog the pipes.
Step 4. Add the tomato sauce and let it simmer for 10 minutes
Open the jar of ready-made gravy and pour it into the pan. Stir to mix with the meat and the garlic and onion sautéed. Set the heat to medium-low so the sauce simmers gently, then cover the pan with the lid.
Stir the sauce once or twice to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan
Step 5. Serve the spaghetti with meat sauce
After draining the pasta, divide it into serving plates and distribute the sauce over the spaghetti using a spoon. Complete the recipe with grated Parmesan if desired.
- If you prefer, you can season the spaghetti inside the pan. Pour them over the meat sauce and then mix to evenly distribute the meat and tomato; finally, divide them into serving plates using kitchen tongs.
- If you have any spaghetti left over, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Eat them within a couple of days to keep them from getting too mushy.
Method 3 of 4: Garlic and Parmesan
Step 1. Put the butter in the pan with the garlic and pink pepper and let it melt over medium heat
Put 1 cup of butter in the pot and turn on the stove by setting the flame to medium heat. Add three finely chopped cloves of garlic.
If you want to add a spicy note to the dressing, add a teaspoon of pink pepper flakes as well
Step 2. Let the butter melt and brown for 4-5 minutes
Keep the heat at a medium level and stir continuously as the butter melts. Wait for it to acquire an intense golden color.
Do not move away from the pan while the butter is frying as it tends to burn quickly
Step 3. Turn off the heat and pour the cooked spaghetti and cheese into the pan
Add 450 g of pasta after draining it from the boiling water. Spread 50 g of grated Parmesan over the spaghetti and then mix using the kitchen tongs to evenly distribute the sauce.
If you don't have cooking tongs, you can use a large spoon and fork to spread the cheese and butter evenly
Step 4. Bring the spaghetti to the table
Before serving, taste them to find out if it is better to add salt or pepper, then sprinkle them with two tablespoons of fresh parsley and bring them to the table immediately to be able to enjoy them hot.
- If you have any spaghetti left over, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.
- Don't wait too long before eating them if you put them in the refrigerator, or the sauce will separate from the pasta.
Method 4 of 4: Make Homemade Tomato Sauce
Step 1. Blend the peeled tomatoes
Pour 800 g of peeled tomatoes into the container of the blender or food processor, attach the lid and blend them until you have a smooth sauce.
- If you prefer that a few pieces of tomato remain whole, you can cut the peeled tomatoes by hand with the knife or you can simply mash them with the back of the spoon after cooking them on a low heat.
- If, on the other hand, you prefer a smoother and more homogeneous sauce, blend the tomatoes until you get a sauce with a perfectly uniform consistency.
Step 2. Fry the onion for 5-6 minutes
Heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add a third of a roughly chopped onion.
- Stir the onion frequently as it cooks to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
- The onion will need to soften slightly and become translucent.
Step 3. Add the garlic and, if you like, the pink pepper flakes
Peel and cut three garlic cloves into slices. Sprinkle the garlic on the wilted onion and also add a pinch of pink pepper flakes if you want to add a spicy note to the tomato sauce. Let the ingredients fry for about 30 seconds before continuing.
Wait for the garlic to release its aromas, but do not cook it for more than a minute as it tends to burn easily
Step 4. Pour the tomatoes into the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste
Transfer the tomato sauce from the blender to the pan and then mix to mix with the garlic and onion sautéed. Taste the sauce and add the necessary amount of salt and pepper.
The flavors will blend and develop gradually, so taste the tomato sauce several times as it cooks to see if you need to add more salt or pepper
Step 5. Let the gravy cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes
Use a high flame until the sauce begins to boil, at which point reduce the heat so that it simmers gently. Do not put the lid on the saucepan to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly.
Stir frequently to prevent the gravy from sticking to the bottom of the pan
Step 6. Chop the basil leaves with your hands and add them to the sauce
Wash a handful of fresh leaves and chop them coarsely with your hands. Add them to the pan and then turn off the stove.
- The basil leaves will wilt once spread in the hot sauce.
- Taste the sauce once more to see if it is better to add more salt or pepper.
Step 7. Pour the tomato sauce over the spaghetti with a spoon and serve the dishes to the table
After draining the spaghetti, divide them into serving plates and add the desired amount of sauce using a spoon or a small ladle. If you prefer, you can season the spaghetti inside the pan. Add them to the sauce and then mix to evenly distribute the tomato and other ingredients, finally divide them into serving plates using the kitchen tongs.
- If you want, you can add a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, some other basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- If you have any tomato sauce left over, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Use it within 2-3 days.
Advice
- If you intend to eat spaghetti immediately, there is no need to add the oil to the cooking water, otherwise the sauce will not adhere well to the pasta.
- Fresh pasta cooks in less time than dry pasta. It may take a few minutes, read the directions on the package or ask for information in the store.
