Alternative For Spaghettini

Asked by soupersuzy. Answered on 28th January 2021

Full question

Nigella often suggests using spaghettini in her pasta recipes, however I have never been able to find it in any supermarket. The nearest has been a quick cook variety. Do you know of any that sell the real thing or would I have to find an Italian deli, not easy where I live.

Image of Nigella's Spaghetti with Breadcrumbs — Photo by Petrina Tinslay

Spaghetti With Lemon, Garlic and Breadcrumbs

By Nigella

Our answer

Some of Nigella's recipes, such as Spaghetti With Lemon And Garlic Breadcrumbs (from Nigellissima) and Spaghettini With Prawns And Garlic, give spaghettini as a possible ingredient. Spaghettini is a thinner version of spaghetti and cooks more quickly than spaghetti. You may need to look for it in an Italian deli but you can also use regular spaghetti as an alternative in most of the recipes. Just bear in mind that regular spaghetti takes about 12 minutes to cook if you are making the sauce at the same time as cooking the pasta.

The exception is Chorizo And Chickpea Stew, where you need a very quick-cooking pasta and here we would suggest using vermicelli or angel hair pasta instead.