HOW TO BOIL SPAGHETTI RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. On a chopping board, peel and finely chop the onions, garlic and carrots, then trim and finely chop the celery.
  2. Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves, then finely slice the bacon or pancetta.
  3. Put a large saucepan on a medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  4. Add the bacon, rosemary, garlic and veg, then cook with the lid ajar for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened and just turning golden, stirring occasionally.
  5. Stir in the mince, turn the heat up to high and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned all over,stirring and breaking it up with a spoon as you go.
  6. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, vinegar and bay leaves.
  7. Fill and boil the kettle.
  8. Crumble in the stock cube and pour in 400ml boiling water.
  9. Stir well, turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil.
  10. Season with pepper, reduce to a low heat, then cover and simmer for around 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  11. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and reduced. Meanwhile...
  12. Re-fill and boil the kettle.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. Using a microplane, finely grate the Parmesan cheese onto a clean chopping board (if using).
  16. Once the spaghetti is done, ladle out and reserve a cup of cooking water and keep it to one side, then drain in a colander over the sink.
  17. Taste the Bolognese sauce and season with a little more pepper or vinegar, if you think it needs it.
  18. Carefully pick out and discard the bay leaves.
  19. Put half the sauce into a container, leave to cool, then freeze for another day.
  20. Stir the spaghetti into the remaining sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen, if needed.
  21. Divide between bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (if using), then serve.

Steps:

• Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.
• Finely chop the 100g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50g pecorino cheese and 50g parmesan and mix them together.
• Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside.
• Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).
• Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it.
• While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic.
• Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.
• Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don’t worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don’t throw the pasta water away yet.
• Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.
• Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn’t scramble, and everything is coated.
• Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don’t want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.
• Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.