Dating : Prepare Your Own Healthy Spaghetti

Spaghetti is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical noodle pasta. It is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Like other pasta dishes, spaghetti is made of milled wheat and water which is often enriched with vitamins and minerals. It is also known as a part of healthy diet plan. So I’m upholding a recipe to make it in an easy process.

• Spaghetti. Any pasta will work. I would prefer to use whole wheat or whole grain because it contains fiber and nutrients. If you use regular white pasta, please note nutritional information of this delicious spaghetti recipe will change. Gluten free spaghetti like brown rice. Please note it cooks much faster than wheat. So watch to avoid a mushy mess.

• Tomato sauce. There are so many tomato products on supermarket shelves these days. In cans and jars. I get lost myself. That is why partially I just buy a 12 case of organic low sodium canned tomato sauce at Costco and use in all my recipes. Another reason is that other tomato products are expensive. Often for no reason. To make good spaghetti, you need a can of cheap tomato sauce that reads “tomato sauce”. Preferably low sodium. Not “spaghetti sauce”, not “pizza sauce”, not “pasta sauce”, not “marinara sauce”. Just “tomato sauce”.
• Parmesan cheese. Pre-grated Parmesan cheese in a shaker contains cellulose as a filler. It is ground up wood chips. It is not pure Parmesan cheese. Plus it doesn’t taste nearly as fresh. I highly recommend to use fresh and real Parmesan. I usually buy a hunk, grate as much as I need and refrigerate in a container for up to 2–3 months. Then freeze remainder in a Ziploc bag. When needed, thaw, grate and freeze remainder again.
• Extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic
• Dried oregano, salt and pepper

• Cook spaghetti. Fill large Dutch oven or pot with cold water 3/4 full and bring to a boil. Add 2 tsp salt and spaghetti. Separate pasta with tongs a few times during first 2 minutes of cooking to ensure it does not stick. Keep cooking uncovered for 5 more minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally.
• Drain pasta. Taste spaghetti for doneness towards the end by grabbing one strand onto a plate with tongs. Do not overcook until too soft. The key to tasty pasta is firm cooked pasta. Drain in a colander.
• Cook garlic. Return pot to heat and add olive oil, 4 garlic cloves and oregano. Cook for 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Garlic cooks fast, so don’t walk away and not burn. Turn off the heat.
• Add drained pasta, tomato sauce, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and 1 more fresh garlic clove. Stir gently until warmed through. That 1 clove of fresh garlic at the end is a must!

Refrigerate spaghetti leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, add to a pot with a splash of water and simmer on low

Source: https://ifoodreal.com by Olena Osipov.