As a food connoisseur who holds the sanctity of pasta in high regard, allow me to impart a crucial piece of wisdom: Never ever break spaghetti before placing it in the pot. Anyone who has ever cooked spaghetti knows the moment when you try to fit it into a pot of boiling water, only to find half of it sticking out.
If, at this moment, you choose to break the spaghetti in half to make it fit (instead of using a pot that accommodates its full length), know that you’ve committed a cardinal sin in the realm of "La Cucina Italiana."
A delicious Spaghetti dish
Your kitchen, your rules. Still, if an Italian chef were to witness you snapping spaghetti in half, he might just faint. In the old country, this act is an affront to Italian sensitivity and a tradition that Italians are deeply passionate about preserving.
Why, you ask? Let’s begin with the basics: Spaghetti is inherently long pasta. There are short pastas and long pastas, each suited to different culinary needs. If you’ve chosen spaghetti, honor its original form and respect the Italian culinary tradition, even if it’s a bit inconvenient to put it in the pot whole.
If you require a more practical reason, keep in mind it's impossible to twirl short spaghetti on a fork, which diminishes the pasta-eating experience.
Remember, pasta is a national symbol in Italy, and they take it very seriously. Pasta shapes have evolved over generations, crafted to complement different sauces, cooking techniques (such as lasagna), and serving styles. Spaghetti, for example, pairs beautifully with relatively light sauces like garlic and olive oil, pesto or tomato sauce.
Moreover, breaking the pasta before putting it in the pot affects the texture of the noodle. During the breaking process, "pasta dust" and small fragments enter the pot, and uneven pieces can lead to uneven cooking.
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When might Italians forgive breaking pasta? Only in two situations (and even then, not always): if it’s for children, for whom eating long spaghetti can be challenging, or if it’s a cook unfamiliar with the rules, culture, and centuries-old pasta tradition.
So, how do we cook it in true "Italiano" style? First, choose a pot large enough (don’t be surprised if the pasta doesn’t fit in a small pot) and fill it with ample water. Once the water is boiling, put the pasta in the pot, wait a few seconds, and then gently push the pasta into the pot. The pasta will soften in the water, "fall" inward and settle nicely.