For the pasta, in a large cooking pot, bring four to five litres water to the boil and add a fistful of salt.

Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and follow the packet directions for timing but take two minutes off the recommended cooking time (so if the packet says nine minutes, give it seven minutes).

At the same time, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan 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 (about 25 milliliters) of water to stop the cooking process. (Be careful when adding water to a pan containing hot oil, as it can spit; best to take the pan off the heat first.)

Drain the pasta as soon as it’s ready, keeping two mugs of pasta water.

Transfer the pasta to the garlic and caper pan and add the chopped parsley and half a mug (about 120 milliliters) of pasta water. Stir continuously over a medium heat for a minute – the liquid in the sauce will reduce as you stir (the pasta will also continue to cook). It’s all about the spadellare, working it in the pan until you get the right consistency of sauce.

You might need to add small splashes of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, but remember to keep stirring until you hit the right consistency – you want the pasta to be loose and for the strands to slide freely over each other as you move them around the pan.

When the pasta is al dente (firm to bite but easy to chew), taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and/or pepper if necessary. Divide between hot plates, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and eat immediately.