How to Make Perfect Spaghetti

As a general rule: never buy the cheapest brand, and expensive brands are over-rated. Buy whatever brand you feel comfortable with, and remember to buy spaghetti noodles when making spaghetti. Yes, there are all sorts of different types (angel hair, linguini, elbow, etc.) that are similar, but not quite. Their shapes, textures, thickness are specifically done for different types of sauces. Personally, I like to grab the wheat/multi-grain spaghetti noodles. Unless you're a spaghetti aficionado, you won't be able to tell the difference.

Boiling the noodles. As simple as boiling water, right? No, not really. Read the back of the noodle box. It will usually say cook the noodles in 6 cups of boiling water until it is al dente. I never measure out my water. I usually just estimate: Grab a large pot, wok, or other stove-top vessel and fill it half way with water. If you put too much water in the pot, it will take a long time to boil. If you put too little, you will have to add more water later. Put the pot on the stove and turn the dial to High (or Medium-High). At this point, you can either add salt (check the box for exact measurements) or a capful of olive oil. I usually choose olive oil because adding too much won't make the noodles inedible (unlike salt). Wait until the water is at hard boil (rapid bubbling). Grab your noodle box and break the noodles in half, before dropping them in. I usually use the entire box (~8 oz.). If you buy the bigger box, use the whole thing if you're expecting guests or wanting leftovers; otherwise, only use about half and save the rest for later. Use a wooden spoon to separate and drown the noodles. To avoid clumping, make sure to stir the noodles every couple of minutes. As the noodles boil, you will start to notice a whitish film forming; this is starch. If the water starts to get too low, add more. Adding boiling water is preferable because it won't disrupt the current temperature. If you add cold water, the boiling will stop and it may take a couple minutes to get started again.Try to keep the noodles at a constant boil. If you add too much water and it takes awhile for the noodles to start boiling again, they may become soggy. The average pot of noodles takes about 10 to 14 minutes to become al dente ("to the teeth" is just a preference). If you like your noodles harder, than it will take a shorter amount of time; softer and it'll take longer. To check whether the noodles are done, select a noodle from the pot, blow on it to cool it down, and then bite it. If you like it, it's done. If not, boil it longer.

Finishing the noodles. Once the noodles are finished, remove the pot from the stove and drain the noodles. Place a colander (or any other type vessel with small holes that can handle heat) in the sink and pour in the noodles. Rinse the starch off with cold water, then let the noodles drain on their own.

Making the sauce. This can be either incredibly easy, or incredibly frustrating. It just depends on how much you like to fiddle. NEVER turn the stove on high when making the sauce. Spaghetti sauce is volatile; it will splatter. If you buy a pre-made sauce, warm it up on the stove on Medium. If you want to add meat to a pre-made sauce, cook the meat first. I usually add ground beef or pork. Keep the stove on Medium of Medium-High and brown the meat (remember pork must be cooked thoroughly). Drain the fat, then add the sauce. Keep the stove on Medium and add whatever else you want. DO NOT pre-heat the pot before adding the sauce; that will only cause the sauce to splatter. Once the sauce is warm enough, grab a plate and enjoy.

Ending comments. I love spaghetti. I make it all the time. I have experimented with different techniques, recipes, and ingredients. I know what I like and I know what works. And after watching a friend cook spaghetti for the first time, I realized that I knew a lot more about the basics of making spaghetti than most.