Bring 4–5 litres water to the boil in a large pan and add a fistful of salt. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook according to the pack instructions but taking 2 minutes off the cooking time.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in apan large enough to hold the sauce and cooked pasta. Add the garlic, capers, pepper and a pinch of salt and fry over a medium heat until the garlic starts to turn golden, stirring frequently to ensure the mixture doesn’t catch and burn. Take the pan off the heat and add a splash (approx. 25ml) water to stop the cooking process, taking care as the oil may spit.
Drain the pasta, reserving two mugfuls of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to the garlic and caper pan and add the parsley and half a mug (approx. 120ml) of the pasta water. Stir continuously over a medium heat for a minute – the liquid in the sauce will reduceas you stir and the pasta will also continue to cook. Add small splashes of the remaining reserved pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce, but keep stirring until you hit the right consistency – the pasta should be loose and the strands should slide freely over each other as you move them around the pan. When the pasta is al dente, taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among warmed plates and drizzle extra oil over to serve.
Recipes and photographs taken from ‘Padella: Iconic Pasta at Home’ by Tim Siadatan, photography by Sam A Harris (Bloomsbury Publishing, £25)
