Witches' Hair
by Nigella. Featured in FEASTIntroduction
I'm sure that children's rights activists will think it cruel and wrong to lie to children, but there is no way I would ever tell mine that black spaghetti is dyed with squid ink. In fact when my son asked me — annoyingly one of his friends' mothers had informed him of the fact — I acted out an Oscar-winning charade of scorn and bemusement. What a ridiculous thing for someone to tell him! The very idea!
I feel better about the deceit when I tell myself that it is highly likely the true culprit is good old-fashioned food colouring. Of course, that makes me feel worse about the health aspect, and I have to remind myself that I was lying anyway... A tangled web - and so appropriate to Hallowe'en.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
I'm sure that children's rights activists will think it cruel and wrong to lie to children, but there is no way I would ever tell mine that black spaghetti is dyed with squid ink. In fact when my son asked me — annoyingly one of his friends' mothers had informed him of the fact — I acted out an Oscar-winning charade of scorn and bemusement. What a ridiculous thing for someone to tell him! The very idea!
I feel better about the deceit when I tell myself that it is highly likely the true culprit is good old-fashioned food colouring. Of course, that makes me feel worse about the health aspect, and I have to remind myself that I was lying anyway... A tangled web - and so appropriate to Hallowe'en.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
Ingredients
Serves: 6 children, give or take
- 500 grams black spaghetti (squid ink spaghetti)
- 3 - 4 tablespoons garlic butter (or 2 - 3 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon garlic infused oil)
- 1 pound black spaghetti (squid ink spaghetti)
- 3 - 4 tablespoons garlic butter (or 2 - 3 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon garlic infused oil)
Method
- Cook the pasta in lots of salted, boiling water, according to packet instructions, and drain and dress with the garlic butter. It's that simple.
- Cook the pasta in lots of salted, boiling water, according to packet instructions, and drain and dress with the garlic butter. It's that simple.
Additional Information
My children have an inexplicable liking for bought garlic butter, but I just as often use ordinary butter and garlic oil. The only thing about using butter is that it does turn the spooky black a little grey (I tell myself that witches should have slightly greying hair), so if you want to keep the strands a glistening jet, just toss the spaghetti in a little garlic-infused, or indeed ordinary, oil.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
My children have an inexplicable liking for bought garlic butter, but I just as often use ordinary butter and garlic oil. The only thing about using butter is that it does turn the spooky black a little grey (I tell myself that witches should have slightly greying hair), so if you want to keep the strands a glistening jet, just toss the spaghetti in a little garlic-infused, or indeed ordinary, oil.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
Tell us what you think
Thank you {% member.data['first-name'] %}.
Explore more recipesYour comment has been submitted.