spaghetti

Mainly in the world of computers, a term describing that damn mass of excessively long Cat5, bypass, power, and other miscellaneous cables and crap that simply refuses to be a part of any controlled, regulated, or ordered system of perfect LAN-wide utopianism. Also known to be at the root of many problems that cause mass server down time. "Awww shuzzbutt, Mr. Bojangles tripped over not only the main power cable for our server, but also ALL THREE backup UPS's!"

Long, thin pasta that's typically thicker than vermicelli but thinner than linguine. Unlike the flatter linguine, spaghetti has a circular cross-section.

To cook spaghetti, first boil water in a large pot. You should be able to put the spaghetti into the pot diagonally and still keep it below the rim. When the water is boiling violently, scatter the spaghetti into it so as to avoid clumps that stick together. (Some people add salt to the water to raise the boiling point of the water. However, it raises the boiling point so minutely that there's little benefit. Others add oil to prevent clumping, but if you stir the pasta it shouldn't be a problem.)

At this point you may wish to heat some sort of sauce. Pesto is yummy, especially when made fresh. This goes for alfredo sauce too. You can melt some butter and saute garlic and parsley. But spaghetti sauce in a jar or can is also nice, and will suffice. A saucepan would be appropriate here.

Stir the boiling pasta and, if the starch causes the water to begin to boil over, blow on the bubbles to calm them. Hey, it worked for Michael Jackson. When the pasta is clearly flaccid, fish out a strand to test it for doneness. The two most common tests are:

1. Bite it. If it seems tender to the teeth, then it is done al dente ("to the teeth").
    
2. Throw it at the wall. Seriously. If it sticks, then the pasta is cooked. Either way, it's fun.

Pour the boiling water and the spaghetti into a colander or strainer. Again, customs differ on this point, but some people rinse their spaghetti to remove the starch. I do not. I like my pasta hot, and even hot tap water will cool it. I also hold with those who say that spaghetti sauce (or pesto, or garlic and butter) is absorbed more easily into unrinsed pasta. Speaking of which: pour the drained pasta into a serving dish and put the sauce on top. The sauce will then mingle with the spaghetti and, if you haven't rinsed it too much, will actually get soaked up into the pasta. Yum! Adding a grated hard salty cheese such as Parmesan or Romano at this point is optional.

Bon appetit!

Spaghetti is a great tasting meal that traditionaly takes hours to make. Oh no, these days spaghetti can be made in but minutes. How is this possible you ask? It's simple, just by the parts from the store. I find that pasta are an easy, tasty, and impressive meal to share with a date.

WHAT TO DO!
Ingredients:

• 1 boxpackaged spaghetti noodles
• As much meat as you want (I use 1/2 pound ground beef)
• 1 Can sauce (I like meat sauces)
• oregano, thyme, garlic, red pepper
• water

Putting it together:

1. bring water to a boil in a pot and add noodles to cook for about 5 mintes
2. brown beef (or meat of your choice) in pan
3. drain grease off meat and add your seasonings and sauce into the drained meat. This should take about another 5 or so minutes
4. strain noodles and place noodles and back in pot
5. serve by placing noodles on plate and pouring sauce and meat on top and garlic bread on the side.

That's it! It was fast and easy, but still good and tasty! Try different seasonings and sauces. I suggest a cream sauce with chicken.

Italian spaghetti happen to be quite different from american ones. First, they are made only of durum wheat, and cook in 5-15 minutes. Most italians consider over-cooked pasta an edible form of glue. Second, salt is added to the water not for elevating its boiling point, but for making spaghetti more tasty.

Italian spaghetti don't taste so good with ketchup. In fact, they taste completely different from the ones you might be used to if you live in the U.S.

Also, there is no such thing like Alfredo sauce eaten in Italy.

Spa*ghet"ti (?), n. [It.]

A variety of macaroni made in tubes of small diameter.

 

© Webster 1913.