Eat Spaghetti The Italian Way (2024)

FAQs

What is the spaghetti rule in Italy? ›

The SPAGHETTI rule

Not everyone knows that, when Italians cook spaghetti, they never break them before putting them in the hot water! It is forbidden! Spaghetti must be cooked just the way they are: intact! Then, they must be eaten rolling them up with a fork.

2. Italians Do Eat Pasta, Just Differently.

You see, in Italy, Parmesan cheese is reserved for pasta dishes with tomato-based sauces, cream sauces, and meat-based dishes. Adding Parmesan cheese to a seafood-based dish, like spaghetti with clams, is a big no-no. It's like adding ketchup to a steak or pineapple on a pizza – it just doesn't belong!

Italians believe we are to cook and eat pasta while retaining the shape in which it was created. This means not breaking the uncooked pasta before putting it in the pot and not cutting up a plate of cooked pasta with a knife. While this is not illegal, it is certainly in bad taste.

Did you ever wonder what that middle hole is for? Turns out it's got a really simple and smart use. The hole can be used to measure out approximately one serving of spaghetti. However many dry noodles fit into that hole count as a single serving.

Spaghetti is the plural form of the Italian word spaghetto, which is a diminutive of spago, meaning 'thin string' or 'twine'.

In Italy, unless sold on the street or “al taglio” (sold in rectangular or square slices by weight), it's always round and served on a plate. 2. You cut the pizza yourself and then eat it with a knife and fork, the most common way, or fold each slice and eat it with your hands.

Italian Pasta Rule #6:

But, tomato-based sauces are mainly eaten in the country's South. In other Italian regions, a panoply of tomato-free options abounds – including cacio e pepe (Rome), radicchio and gorgonzola (the Veneto), and squid ink sauce (seaside areas).

Italian breakfast is mostly made with sweets. Croissants (also called cornetti or brioche, it may vary by region) and coffee. Biscuits or sweet industrial snacks. Fette biscottate (I've seen them translated as rusks, biscuits or melba toasts) or bread with jam or Nutella.

Nov 9, 2023. Yes, Italians commonly refer to pasta as “pasta.” The term “spaghetti” specifically refers to a type of pasta that is long, thin, and cylindrical in shape. Spaghetti is a popular pasta variety, but there are many other types of pasta in Italian cuisine, each with its own name.

How is spaghetti traditionally served? ›

An emblem of Italian cuisine, spaghetti is frequently served with tomato sauce, which may contain various herbs (especially oregano and basil), olive oil, meat, or vegetables. Other spaghetti preparations include amatriciana or carbonara.

Spaghetti sauce is not limited to just one kind of meat. Here in the U.S., we often think spaghetti is limited to meatballs or ground beef, but in Italy you can find ragu using braised beef, lamb, chicken, fish, veal, or pork.

Don't: Eat Pasta With a Spoon

While this approach might work in concept, it's far from how true Italians enjoy their pasta. Instead, they use a fork exclusively. While you might use a spoon to add some extra marinara to your meal, you won't need it when it's time to eat.