BOILING SPAGHETTI RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Pick the basil leaves onto a chopping board (reserving a few baby leaves to garnish), then roughly chop the remaining leaves and finely chop the stalks.
  2. Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic. If using fresh, cut the tomatoes in half, then roughly chop them or carefully open the tins of tomatoes.
  3. Put a saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onion, then cook for around 7 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden.
  4. Stir in the garlic and basil stalks for a few minutes, then add the fresh or tinned tomatoes and the vinegar.
  5. Season with a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, then continue cooking for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Stir in the chopped basil leaves, then reduce to low and leave to tick away. Meanwhile…
  7. Carefully fill a large pot three-quarters of the way up with boiling water, add a tiny pinch of salt and bring back to the boil.
  8. Add the spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions – you want to cook your pasta until it is al dente. This translates as ‘to the tooth’ and means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of a bite and firmness to it. Use the timings on the packet instructions as a guide, but try some just before the time is up to make sure it’s perfectly cooked.
  9. Once the pasta is done, ladle out and reserve a cup of the cooking water and keep it to one side, then drain in a colander over the sink and tip the spaghetti back into the pot.
  10. Stir the spaghetti into the sauce, adding a splash of the pasta water to loosen, if needed.
  11. Serve with the reserved basil leaves sprinkled over the top and use a microplane to finely grate the Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle over.
  12. PRINT THIS RECIPE (UK) PRINT THIS RECIPE (USA)

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the garlic, destone the olives, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Slice the chillies and pick the basil leaves.
  2. Add the spaghetti to the pan of boiling salted water and cook according to the packet instructions.
  3. Place a large frying pan over a medium–high heat, drizzle in a good lug of olive oil, add the garlic and chilli, then tear in the anchovies and olives and stir for 2 minutes, or until the garlic starts to turn golden and the anchovies melt into the base.
  4. Add the cherry tomatoes, a good splash of pasta water and cover with a lid. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes start to cook down slightly.
  5. Drain the pasta, reserving a cupful of cooking water. Add the basil to the sauce along with the pasta and a splash of the reserved cooking water, to loosen.
  6. Have a taste and season, if needed. Transfer to a serving platter and top with a good shaving of fresh Parmesan.