Answer:
Spaghetti makes a great inexpensive meal that cooks up fast. In the time it takes to cook the noodles, you can make a number of sauces. If you're in a hurry, quickly brown your choice of ground meat and then briefly simmer it with a jar of your favorite pasta sauce. For a non-red sauce option, toss the noodles with browned butter, garlic, and Parmesan. If you have the time to make a homemade red sauce, sauté red onion with tomatoes, garlic, and basil.
1
Decide how much pasta to cook. Determine how many servings of spaghetti you'd like for each person you're feeding. Most packages of spaghetti will tell you how much of the box to cook to get a desired number of servings. For example, if you're making spaghetti for 3 people, cook half of the box. To measure spaghetti perfectly, you can use kitchen tools or household objects also.
To avoid overcrowding the pot, don't cook more than 16 ounces (892 g) of spaghetti at a time.
2
Fill a large pot with cold or cool water. If you're cooking 12 to 16 ounces (670 to 892 g) of spaghetti, use a 5 to 6-quart (4.7 to 5.6 liter) pot. For less than this, you can use a 3 or 4-quart (2.8 to 3.7 liter) pot. Fill whichever size pot you're using 3/4 full of water.
If you use a pot that's too small, the noodles will clump together as they cook.
3
Add salt and bring the water to a boil. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons (17 to 34 g) of kosher salt into the water and put a lid on the pot. Turn the burner to high so the water begins to boil vigorously.
You should see steam start to escape from under the lid once the water begins to boil.
If you're using fresh (not dried) spaghetti, don't put salt in the water.
4
Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Use oven mitts to remove the lid from the pot. Slowly lower the noodles into the water so it doesn't splash and use tongs or a spaghetti spoon to stir the noodles well. The water should quickly come back to a boil.
Consider breaking the noodles in half if you'd like shorter spaghetti noodles.
5
Set a timer for 8 to 11 minutes and stir the noodles frequently. Read the package instructions for the noodles you're making and set a timer for the recommended boiling time. Stir the noodles frequently as they boil so they don't clump together.
Since noodles are made with different flours, it's important to follow the specific cooking instructions for your package.
Leave the lid off of the pot as the spaghetti boils.
6
Test the spaghetti to see if it's as soft as you like. Lift a noodle out of the pot and bite it in half. The center shouldn't be hard at all. The noodle should have a soft center, but not be mushy once it's finished cooking.
If you test a piece and the center is still hard, cook the noodles 1 to 2 more minutes and then test another noodle.
Image titled Make Spaghetti Step 7
7
Drain the cooked spaghetti using a colander. Once the noodles are done to your liking, turn off the burner and set a colander or strainer in the sink. Carefully lift the pot of spaghetti over to the sink and slowly pour it into the colander.
Always pour the hot water and noodles away from your body so the steam moves away from your face.
Avoid rinsing the drained noodles with cold water. Doing so will make it harder for the sauce to stick to the noodles.
Image titled Make Spaghetti Step 24
8
Top the noodles with your favorite sauce and serve the spaghetti. Toss the drained noodles with the sauce of your choice or divide the noodles among serving plates. Then spoon the sauce over each serving of noodles.
If you'd rather store the noodles, let the noodles cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.
To make it easier to use refrigerated noodles, consider tossing them with up to 2 teaspoons (9.9 ml) of olive oil before you