Spaghetti

[IntenseMagic]

Happy National Spaghetti Day!

For a long time, I made spaghetti every Sunday. In fact, I made it so much that now my youngest doesn't really ever want it lol. I, on the other hand, love it and don't mind eating it any time!
So, just for fun:

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else?
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy?
• Homemade, restaurant?
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can?
• Fork only, or fork and spoon?
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long?
• Meatballs: yes or no?
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level?
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not?

 

[umyesh]

I made spaghetti so much my oldest is sick of it lol

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? Marinara or Alfredo or chili
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? Barely al dente
• Homemade, restaurant? I never order spaghetti at a restaurant because I prefer fettuccini Alfredo
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? Twirl but I don’t think it’s ever neat
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? Fork only
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? I break it in half before boiling it so it fits in the pan better
• Meatballs: yes or no? Yes but it’s good without too
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? Medium amount
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? Just as good the next day

 

[scrapchyck]

I didn't know there would be a spaghetti interrogation today! Sheesh!

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? I gots to have some meat!
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? Soft and saucy!
• Homemade, restaurant? Homemade...I would never order it out when I know I can make it better at home!
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I'm a twirler.
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? Fork only
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? I do what every Nonna would scold me for, I break the spaghetti in half before putting in the water to boil.
• Meatballs: yes or no? I'm not opposed, just never want to take the time to make them.
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? North Dakota Blizzard Level
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? So good the next day!!!

 

[littlekiwi]

Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else?
Meat sauce or marinara

Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy?
Not sure I have a preference (or at least I didn't when I ate gluten!), now that I'm gluten free it's probably more towards the al dente side to prevent a pile of GF pasta mush!

Homemade, restaurant?
Homemade.....I'm too frugal to eat out plus it's easier to cook at home when you're intolerant to gluten, lactose & garlic

Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can?
I try and twirl it neatly but however it gets from plate/bowl mouth works for me

Fork only, or fork and spoon?
Fork only

Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long?
Cut it somewhat, I tend to end up wearing it if it's long

Meatballs: yes or no?
Sometimes if we find a pack on sale though it's usually just ground beef (or these days it's more likely to be pork cause it's cheaper) as part of the meat sauce

Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level?
Somewhere in the middle

Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not?
Leftovers for the meat & sauce for sure but fresh cooked spaghetti only because GF pasta is better fresh

 

[ScrappyHappy82]

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? meat sauce
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? al dente with lots of sauce
• Homemade, restaurant? Homemade - ish. I don't make the noodles myself but I do make the sauce!
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I'm a twirler!
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? fork
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? Every time I make spaghetti I joke that it's a good thing that no part of me is Italian because I break the noodles before throwing them in the pot.
• Meatballs: yes or no? nah
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? none for me, lots for the rest of my family
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? spaghetti is always better the next day, imo!

 

[Gaelle]

We made spaghetti every Saturday.

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? I eat my spaghetti with an egg and a courgette.
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? perfectly al dente
• Homemade, restaurant? homemade
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I eat them however I can.
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? Fork only
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? When I made spaghetti only for in a small pan I cut them.
• Meatballs: yes or no? no
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? no
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? there are never any leftovers, lol

 

[Karen]

I make spaghetti in the rotation, but not super often.

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? I use jarred spaghetti sauce, usually mushroom
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? Thin, and al dente
• Homemade, restaurant? Homemade. I'm not paying for spaghetti in a restaraunt!
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? Twirl!
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? Fork only
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? Leave it long
• Meatballs: yes or no? Yes! Otherwise we're all hungry too fast afterwards.
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? I don't use any, buy my youngest is on the snowstorm level. Lol.
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? Definitely love that when I do make spaghetti, there are leftovers the next day, but I think it's been the day it's made.

 

[*sylvia*]

Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else?
Meat sauce, tomato sauce, oil with garlic and parsley, oil with prawns and garlic and parsley
Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy?
al dente
Homemade, restaurant?
homemade
Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can?
I'm a twirler.
Fork only, or fork and spoon?
fork only
Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long?
never
Meatballs: yes or no?
no
Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level?
towards snowstorm-level
Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not?
Spaghetti is also good the next day

 

[marijke]

Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? sometimes meat sauce, sometimes only veggies ...
Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? al dente
Homemade, restaurant? always homemade ...
Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I like neatly
Fork only, or fork and spoon? Fork only
Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? long of course
Meatballs: yes or no? no
Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? lots of Parmesan - sometimes Pecorino
Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? I'll make sure there's some leftover... it'll be even better the next day...

 

[HavaDrPepper]

Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? Meat sauce.
Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente... or soft and saucy? al dente
Homemade, restaurant? Both! I've had some of the best spaghetti on my vacations at restaurants where it is one of the choices we have.
Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I cut it into little sections. I started doing that when I had no teeth and couldn't chew food. I could eat smaller portions by letting it slide down my throat. I still do it!
Fork only, or fork and spoon? Fork (and knife to cut it!)
Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? I break it in half to fit in the pan when I make it.
Meatballs: yes or no? No but will eat them if they are included at a restaurant.
Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? At home, none. In a restaurant, maybe a little.
Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? Since I usually use jar spaghetti sauce, I try to make just the amount I will eat at that meal.

 

[michelepixels]

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? My family has also gotten tired of pasta and rarely do any of us choose to have it anymore. But occasionally I make a dish like this one I'm going to make today, Garlic Peanut Noodles. So I guess my answer is that it has to be an interesting sauce, and there need to be veggies.
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? I never had a preference for thickness of my pasta and when I bought it regularly I would buy a different shape each time. I never learned exactly what al dente is supposed to be, but I think I cooked mine slightly beyond that. I always put extra sauce on it. I love sauces. I've doubled the sauce part of recipes before.
• Homemade, restaurant? I generally think homemade is better.
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I twirl noodles.
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? Just a fork.
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? I have cut it up, but usually just twirl.
• Meatballs: yes or no? Yes, but made of lentils or another legume. These ones I made a few weeks ago were great. https://sweetpotatosoul.com/best-vegan-lentil-meatballs/
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? Snowstorm, though I hadn't thought of it described that way before. And if you haven't tried vegan parmesan, I highly recommend. It's more delicious and nutritious. 1 cup of nuts (usually cashews), 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp salt, lemon zest, and garlic powder: process/grind. Keeps several weeks in the fridge. I use it most often to top popcorn. Much, much more often than I eat pasta! And definitely it's a blizzard of a topping! So yummy!
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? I think everything is better freshly cooked except things like bean salads, coleslaw, and stew-like dishes that meld their flavors and improve over time. But I eat most of my food as "leftovers" either at room temperature (all my work lunches, and I'm happy with that; I have access to a microwave at work but choose not to use it) or reheated (most of my dinners) because I do 95% of my cooking on weekends. So functionally I have to say 'better the next day' even though subjectively I admit the food is best as soon as I finish cooking it. I enjoy at least small amounts of a lot of what I make over the weekend, so I do eat it freshly cooked before storing it away in the fridge for the coming week. Sometimes I even time it well so I finish food prepping before mealtime and eat a whole serving fresh, like I'm going to be doing for lunch soon, when I make those Garlic Peanut Noodles.

 

[elseepe]

I try to keep makings on hand, but I have started adapting to make just 1 or 2 servings - I freeze the sauce in ziplock bags for quick single servings.

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? Lately, it's been a marina with a couple meatballs and bulking it up with zucchini
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? I like Delallo Whole Wheat capellini, a bit past al dente, but not too soft. (But sometimes I'll use zucchini spirals instead - they cook up so quick in the same skillet as the meatballs)
• Homemade, restaurant? I can't remember the last time I ate out.
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I cut it up after plating it.
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? I eat with a fork (because I cut it up first)
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? long as it cooks, but cut it on the plate
• Meatballs: yes or no? lately it's been Trader Joe's Chicken Meatballs (easy to pull out single serving from freezer and brown/warm)
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? definitely parmesan, and a bit of fresh basil.
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? I generally only make 1 or 2 servings at a time

 

[mary kate]

• Do you prefer spaghetti with meat sauce, marinara, or something else? Marinara (I'm vegetarian)
• Spaghetti: thin, perfectly al dente… or soft and saucy? Thin and al dente
• Homemade, restaurant? Homemade
• Do you twirl spaghetti neatly or scoop it up however you can? I twirl it, though perhaps not neatly
• Fork only, or fork and spoon? Fork only
• Do you cut your spaghetti or leave it long? Leave it long
• Meatballs: yes or no? Mostly no (because vegetarian). But I occasionally make meatballs for the carnivores in my life!
• Parmesan: a little, or snowstorm-level? A snowstorm level at the very least. Maybe even a blizzard of Parmesan
• Spaghetti for leftovers—better the next day or not? I love leftovers of tomato-and-cheese pasta dishes. They definitely taste at least as good on the second day, and it's such a relief to have tomorrow night's dinner already prepared and just waiting to be reheated