Spaghetti Demystified

Ohhh Spaghetti, you can't be Italian without eating Spaghetti...

But what is the real way to eat Spaghetti?

** No Spoon ** The Old Italian way is to use to twirl Spaghetti on a fork using the spoon to hold them. Which is also a good explanation of why you will always have Spoon on the table along with Fork, even when you only want to eat pasta.

** Not too Much Cheese ** In North America it is used to put on Pasta(and Pizza too...) mountains of Cheese. So much Cheese that one can barely feel the Spaghetti and Tomato taste. Italian like simplicity and balance. It can be sufficient a sprinkle of Cheese, that's it.

** Fresh Tomato vs Gravy ** If you have watched Italian-American movies like Bronx, Goodfellas, and Soprano you would have noticed how the Italian Gangastar is always making some kind of gravy with Onion and Ton of Meat. That's nice, the Italians eat gravy but not so often. Usually, they eat Gravy once a week, usually on Sunday to celebrate the "Catholic" Sunday as a special day. But what about all the other days? Well, they keep it simple, just fresh Tomato, Garlic, Olive Oil, maybe some Basil.



** Break or Don't Break, that's the Question ** How many times we were in a hurry or didn't have enough space in the pot, so we ended up with breaking the Spaghetti? It's not possible in Italy unless you want to get killed... The Italians love twirling Spaghetti, so by breaking them you are hurting their twirling passion...

** How long to cook Spaghetti? ** Having been at multiple Cafeteria I could not ignore how the foreigners cook pasta... Ever seen when Spaghetti is so overcooked that looks like the plant in "Jack and the Beanstalk"? Rule number one: "Never, ever cook too long the Spaghetti". They should be cooked "Al Dente", meaning stop before the Spaghetti become too soft or mushy!

** Portion Size ** Spaghetti is never the only course at lunchtime. Usually, the Italians eat at least a second course, like meat. So they don't eat too large pasta portions. The rule is no more than 4 ounces per person.

Of course, you are free of changing the aforementioned rules, but if you want to become a real Italian then start with kissing the Italian Flag every day and eat Spaghetti the right way...