THE POT, THE WATER AND THE SALT NEEDED TO COOK SPAGHETTI

The pot in which you boil the water and cook any pasta must be big enough. Pastas need to boil in plentiful water. This is the first mistake most foreigners do: they put too little water because they think that it is just the same, and so they will save time.
When should you put salt in the water? Italians don't agree on this point, like on many things about how to cook pasta (and especially the sauce). There are many point of views, and sometimes you have the impression that every Italian has a personal opinion, which is very typical of the Italians in general. On the other hand the Italian cuisine follows a traditional outlook of life and very specific customs, rules and principles. Curious, isn't it?
I (Mauro - son) prefer to put the salt just before the water boils, because if you put it before it makes the pots become brown. Half tablespoon of salt for every 100 gr. of pasta (i.e. 3.6 ounces, the usual dose for one person) should be enough. Then of course you put the pasta (spaghetti or other sort) and you must stir (in Italian: "girare la pasta"): continuously for the first minute or two, and every 20-30 seconds after. If you don't do it the pasta pieces will stick between them, and to the pot.

WHEN PASTA IS CONSIDERED COOKED

Every type of pasta has its cooking time. Generally it is indicated in the package, but don't take it as word of the Bible. The Italians consider the correct procedure that of evaluating when it is "al dente" (literally "to the tooth").
If you know this expression Italians will have a high opinion of you. If you don't, they will think that you know little about pasta, and remember that the Italians, unlike many other populations, are not nationalist, but there are a thing or two about which they believe they are the best and, conversely, about which they think that the others hardly understand anything. Actually these things are three: pasta, caffè (coffee), and pizza. If you will ask a pasta "al dente" you will impress them a lot.
So when is pasta "al dente"? At a certain stage when it boils, as you know, it becomes a bit whitish and softer. At this point you must take a piece with a fork, and taste it using your incisors (so you understand the expression now). With the incisors you must perceive that the pasta is soft outside and hard inside, *never* all soft. In the latter case it would be "scotta" (overcooked), and never offer it to an Italian, as it would be like offering a charred pancake to an Anglo-American, or a hot beer to a German. If you have doubts, it is better that it remains a bit raw rather than "scotta". Some Italians think that it is "al dente" only when it is a bit raw (I agree with them).

REMOVING THE HOT WATER

At this point you must take the water away using a colander, without insisting too much in taking it all away. Especially, *don't rinse it* (i.e. don't wash with water)! Generally the Anglo-Americans and the Northern Europeans do it. Don't! It changes abruptly the temperature and it interposes a water film so that the pasta will not absorb the sauce. This is a technical explanation. To the Italians it will simply seem a barbaric procedure. The ones who rinse pasta say that they want "to take the starch away". This consideration is wrong and quite curious: pasta is mostly made of starch - which is healthy!

THE SAUCE

As usual, there are many opinions and family traditions. Every family has its own say. I tried many variants, and made some experiments too. Finally I decided that my mother's recipe was the best. Here it is:
- the tomatoes (app. 800 grams - nearly two pounds - or two little cans for 4 persons) must be peeled. *I prefer the ones sold in bottles where the pulp is very visible. Do not use the "passata di pomodori", which is basically the same but with filtered tomato pulp. Buy good brands: Cirio, Star, Valfrutta, or your sauce will be tasteless (just like with the pasta: buy the best brands: Voiello, Barilla, Buitoni, De Cecco and, in general, the Southern Italian ones).
Sometimes I add a bit of concentrated tomato to make the sauce smoother.
- put the garlic, by *cutting into little slices* one clove.
- *do the same with the onion (a quarter or one half) - my mom does not use it -. Cut it the "Italian way", i.e. into slices while you have it in your hands, which is better than the "French way", i.e. into very fine slices on a cutting board.
- you should also add 2/3 (two thirds) teaspoon of sugar, which contrasts the acidity of the tomatoes. Most cooks forget this essential detail!

TIPS ON THE OLIVE OIL, BASIL, SALT AND GRATED CHEESE

Let the sauce cook at low fire, covering the pot with a lid - although not entirely - , and stirring every now and then, for about 7-9 minutes. *One minute or two before turning the fire off put the basil leaves in the pot. My mother puts it at the beginning. Others put it at the end when the fire is turned off. I belong to the majority who believes, as mentioned, that one must put basil just before turning the fire off.
At this point let it rest a minute. *I put salt at the end and no olive oil. My mom puts the salt at the beginning, and a splash of extra-virgin (and possibly Umbrian or Ligurian) olive oil (remember, just a splan and never too much!).
Entries marked with * are my (little) variants from my mom's recipe. The brilliant idea she has is to cook the tomatoes as above mentioned. Most people put the olive oil in the pot, together with the garlic and onion (and some add celery), and they brown them before adding the tomatoes. I think that the sauce cooked this way is heavy and not as good. Mothers are always right, aren't they? I prefer as mentioned not to put olive oil, not even at the end, my mom is more normal as she puts it after the sauce is cooked.

Then of course serve the sauce on the pasta (don't put too much), and add the blessed grated Parmesan cheese ("Parmigiano" in Italian). Sometimes other cheeses are preferred, like "Pecorino romano" (salty and tasty), "Ricotta salata" (salted dry ricotta, I love it), particularly if you add fried zucchini slices, or fried aubergine slices on top of the pasta (which is then called "Pasta alla Norma"). Some prefer to add grated Grana Padano (similar to Parmigiano, but with a less sharp taste).

BUON APPETITO - HAVE A NICE MEAL!