Spaghetti is the pasta of choice for a classic Bolognese or carbonara. Find out how to get the best flavour how long to boil clams and mussels texture, and which sauces to serve it with. The most popular way to cook spaghetti is simple.
Put the pasta into plenty of boiling water, stir it, bring it to a simmer, turn the heat off, put a lid on and leave it to finish cooking for 10-12 mins. You will have to stir the pasta every now and then as it cooks. The first thing to know is that adding oil to the water has no effect, as it floats on the top of the water. Stir the pasta after you’ve added it to the water. Pasta releases starch as soon as it starts to cook. When you put it in boiling water it does this straight away, making the surface of the pasta sticky, which is why you always have to stir the pot to separate the pieces.
As the spaghetti continues to cook, the starch dissolves into the water so it doesn’t stick any more. What kind of spaghetti should I use? Higher-quality pasta has a higher protein content, and takes a couple of minutes longer to cook, but you can also overcook it slightly or cook it further in its sauce and it will still have a good texture. Fresh pasta can never be al dente.