Spaghetti with Butter and Parmesan

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I have been avoiding the things I should be doing all morning, yet again immersed in a world of writing, posting, doodling and savouring all my favorite food sites, yes, generally having a lovely time. Suddenly it was two o clock and our stomachs were thinking of lunch…..now. The fridge was somewhat depleted, I suggested an omelette but Vincenzo announced imperatively  ‘Ho bisogno di pasta ‘ translated as ‘I need pasta‘ ( something he says almost every lunchtime) and proceeded to make me one of the nicest bowls of spaghetti with butter and parmesan I have ever eaten.

This is about as simple as it gets and yet one of my favorite things to eat especially when made for me by V. Al dente spaghetti tossed in butter and grated parmesan topped with yet more parmesan and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. When I tried to get specific quantities from V he looked puzzled and told me he didn’t know, ‘you just know the quantities‘ he said seriously. We eventually came up with these quantities, sorry if they are a little vague . As always, use the highest quality dried spaghetti you can afford – it is worth it. Finally a note about cooking spaghetti, it is essential you use a large, deeper than it is wide pan so the spaghetti has plenty of room to roll around, 1 litre of water for every 100g of spaghetti. Salt the water well, 10g to every litre, this is the quantity you need to produce a perfectly seasoned pasta in this quantity of water, it will be disappointing otherwise.

Serves 2

200g good quality spaghetti or spaghetti alla chitarra, 50g Butter. 100g parmesan, grated. freshly ground black pepper.

Bring a large deeper than wide pan of water to the boil and salt it well, once it has reached an energetic rolling boil add the spaghetti, fan it out and use the back of a wooden spoon to ease it into the water. cover the pan until it comes back to a fast boil and then remove the lid.

While the spaghetti is cooking grate the parmesan finely and chop the butter into small cubes. Put half the parmesan and half the butter into a large warm bowl.

Once the spaghetti is cooked to al dente perfection (or the way you like it) drain quickly and add to the bowl with the parmesan and butter and toss well, add the rest of the butter and toss again.

Divide between two bowls and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and finally finish off with a couple of twists of black pepper.

Eat immediately

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