Spaghetti is the Italy’s quintessential comfort food, the dish that goes with a variety of sauces – each one better than the next! And to make a memorable dish of spaghetti, remember that the amount of pasta is 2 3/4 ounces per person. To cook it, the rule is 1 quart of water and 1 tablespoon of salt for every 3 1/2 ounces of pasta. In reality, 3/4 tablespoon of salt and enough water to comfortably accommodate the spaghetti are sufficient. Here are some ideas to enjoy them Italian-style, with some deliciously simple sauces.
Tomato sauce
It’s the easiest and most satisfying sauce to prepare, provided you make it with a lot of love! And for a magic touch, grate a sprinkling of lemon zest on the sauce when ready: it will add a fresh touch that is sure to be appreciated.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes, a few basil leaves, salt, 1 clove of garlic, extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Clean the tomatoes and cut them into pieces. You can also choose to use 3 cups of tomato passata instead, which will save you time! Peel the garlic and brown it in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil. When golden, add the tomatoes, cover with a lid and leave to cook for about 20 minutes. Once the tomatoes are ready, add salt and garnish with fresh basil leaves, dressing your spaghetti immediately and finishing with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Carbonara
When preparing this sauce, remember to take into account the cooking time when throwing the pasta into a pot of boiling water: it must be ready at the same time as the guanciale, so that it can be dressed immediately.
Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti, 4 egg yolks, 1 1/2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, 3/4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 5 1/4 oz guanciale, salt, pepper
Method:
In a dry pan, brown the sliced pork cheek and remove the rind. Then mix the egg yolks with the pecorino and parmigiano cheese and dilute it a little with around 1/4 cup of water. Mix with a whisk so that the yolks become creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta al dente, without straining too much (alternatively, keep some cooking water to the side), and put it back in the pot; immediately add the guanciale and its melted fat. Stir well. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the spaghetti and stir, so that it just begins to solidify without clumping. Serve immediately, adding more pecorino cheese to taste and freshly ground pepper.
Ragù
Ingredients:
1 celery rib, 3 carrots, 1 onion, 8 1/2 oz minced pork, 1 quart ready-made meat stock, 8 3/4 oz minced beef, a glass of milk (optional), 1 grating of nutmeg, extra-virgin olive oil, a glass of red wine, tomato paste, a bay leaf
Method:
Clean and chop the vegetables, then brown them in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Once golden, add the minced beef and pork. After a few minutes wet with a glass of red wine, then add the nutmeg and tomato paste. Let cook, adding some meat broth from time to time. Slowly simmer for a few hours. Once off the heat, add a bay leaf. For a richer version, add a glass of milk as well to round out the taste. If you prefer a thinner, more abundant sauce you can also add tomato passata. Drain the spaghetti and dress with the meat ragù. Once you’ve finished your spaghetti, don’t forget to clean your plate with a piece of bread!
Pesto
Pesto is a wonderful sauce, prepared cold, with no cooking on the stove. It’s made with Italy’s most beloved herb, basil, as well as pine nuts from the cones of maritime pines. It’s used as a sauce for spaghetti and handmade pastas such as trofie, as well as to garnish lasagna and pansotti.
Ingredients:
20 fresh basil leaves, 1 oz pecorino cheese, 1 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, 1/2 clove of garlic, extra virgin olive oil, 1 3/4 oz pine nuts.
Method:
Wash and dry the basil leaves, put them in a mortar and begin crushing them to break them down. Add the pine nuts and continue until they are reduced to a powder. Add finely chopped garlic, then extra virgin olive oil and cheese, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. The sauce must have a soft, smooth consistency. If you want to shorten the time, instead of the mortar use a mixer to chop the basil and pine nuts: the result will be just as good and your wrist will thank you! Leave the pesto in a sealable container, making sure that the surface is covered with oil, otherwise your sauce will oxidize. Though it can be kept in the fridge for a few days, we recommend enjoying it fresh to fully savor its lovely scent.