Mrs Master

Break!! never, if you have to break to get it in your pot that pot must be bloody small. There is a technique, you take the bunch of spaghetti vertically in both hands give it a twist so it splays out a little at the bottom, lower into pot slowly pushing down and creating a splay or skirt at the bottom of the pot as it softens, move your bottom hand to the top of the bunch laying it flat over the top, leave your other hand holding on and continue to push down, release the other hand the closer you get to the water and continue to push from the top until just about submerged. It sounds like alot but its not, really very simple once you get the technique. It prevents the spaghetti from clumping together because it separates evenly and becomes much easier to stir.

Salt never felt the need, the sauce should carry the flavour. Oil makes no difference anyway, patience and constant stirring is required. It only takes ten minutes.

As for cutting after cooked the other half requests it but definately not for me or allowed for my kids. He's no child so I cant tell him how to eat it, he likes it that way, no changing him.

Spoon blah! For a child learning the twirl maybe but after 6 let 'em learn without. I see grown adults using spoons and feel like getting out a serviette and sticking it in the top of their shirt.

Mith

Gah now I want spaghetti.

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Mith

Shauk

yeah my mom always used to cut it and I hated it as a child, because i thought half the fun in eating it was getting those noodles sucked up so fast that it whacked you in the nose.


needless to say, when I make it, theres no breaking or cutting involved, if i need less volume ill just cut it with the side of the fork, but thats rare.

LocutusOfOrc

Cutting or breaking? Hell No!
If you cant deal with eating Spaghetti as they were meant to be eaten, just stick to some other kind of pasta.
No oil in the water either as for reasons already stated above.
If you wanna do it the real Italian way you shouldn't even use a spoon to help you twirl, the fork and the plate gotta be enough

777

There are few times when I'll cut my pasta rather than twirl it. And that's when I'm wearing a light colored shirt (such as a white dress shirt), to keep the sause from dripping on it. Yes, I know I just completely ruined a perfectly good plate of italian food, but I'd rather not have red spots on my clothes

And if you have a pot that's too small to boil your pasta without breaking it, there's still a way to properly cook your spaghetti. As the water's boiling, add your spaghetti, and if some of it is in the pot, and some of it is out of the pot, pointing skyward, then that's fine. As the pasta softens from the boiling water, you'll soon be able to curl it all in. Just be certain to stir often to prevent sticking, and you're all set. Uncut spaghetti in a small pot

And always add oil and a dash of salt to the water. This keeps the pot from boiling over, without having to lower the heat on your stove. Olive oil is best, and so is butter.

Damn, now I'm starving

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"I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It seems rather like wanting to be an engineer, rather than wanting to design something - or wanting to be a writer, rather than wanting to write. It should be a by-product, not a thing in itself. Otherwise, it's just an ego trip."

Roger Zelazny

macandcheese240

you should never cut pasta, it must be left untouched. Its better that way.
Also I find that when you add salt to the water it gives the noodles a bit of extra flavor. The salt absorbs into the noodles with the water and it gives the final product a little better taste but it shouldn't be done with all pasta. It depends on the sauce you plan to use. try it sometimes, just put a little salt in and taste a noddle without anything on it after there done and you will notice a difference.

ASU2003

I always break it into 2 inch pieces before cooking it. It is the best way to make it.

noodlebee

I never cut and never really thought about cutting it. Not sure why. Usually, I just start poking it inside the pot with chopsticks so it is fully submerged in water after it softens enough. Maybe part of the reason is sometimes I eat spaghetti with chopsticks. Hahahaha...