It's impossible to think of Italian food without a warm plate of pasta and

some great wine.Made with flour, pasta can be formed into sheets, strips or
any other shape. In fact, you'll find over 600 pasta shapes across the globe.

On those super busy weeknights, a beloved plate of pasta can come to your
rescue. There's no denying the fact that it is easily the ultimate comfort food.
Just bung in your favourites, simmer the sauce, sprinkle some cheese and
you're sorted! Pasta dishes are an easy way to please even the most finicky
eaters. The varieties are endless. You can choose from spaghetti, penne,
gnocchi, farfalle (bow ties), fettuccine (flat strips) and many others. We'll show
you how to get that perfect plate of pasta every time.

How to cook pasta?

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This may seem fairly simple, but sometimes it may leave you with lumpy and
limp results. To avoid it, cling to these tips. Use adequate amount of water and
a large vessel to avoid sticking. Wait for the water to boil and then add the
pasta. As soon as you place it in water, the starch granules on the pasta swell
up and the surface become sticky.
To keep pasta from sticking, stir it gently in the beginning. You can also add a
pinch of salt. Salt helps in making the surface rough so that it doesn't stick. It
is suggested to cook your pasta just a tad more than al dente (bite-like). Avoid
rinsing the pasta, after it is cooked. Place it in a colander and let the excess
water drain. Rinsing may wash away all the flavour.
You can even make pasta from scratch. Here's a simple recipe - Pasta Dough.
Tips to make the sauce

Behind every perfect plate of pasta is a great sauce.There's nothing better

than ahomemade pasta sauce. The sauce is the most important aspect of the
recipe and it differs from region to region. Recipes from North Italy use white
sauce while sauces like tomato, arrabbiata and carbonara are popular down
south. Also, you must know that tomato based sauces stick better to round
pastas while flat pasta is better with a cream based sauce. You must use a bit
of olive oil in tomato-based sauces to add a rich texture. If your sauce
becomes too sour, adding a pinch of baking soda may help. Stir the sauce
often to avoid sticking.
One thing that you must always keep in mind is to add pasta to the sauce and
not the other way round. You can also add some leftover pasta water to the
sauce to enhance the flavour. The starchiness will also help in binding the
sauce. Make the sauce first and let it simmer. You pasta should be added to
the sauce as soon as it is cooked. The sauce should be just enough to coat
the pasta. A traditional Italian pasta is never too saucy. You can even hide
pureed vegetables in the sauce for those picky eaters. Learn how to make the
basic tomato sauce with this recipe - Tomato & Basil Sauce.
If you're looking for a meal in minutes, our best pasta recipes are waiting for
you. Have a look.
1. Four Cheese Pasta
Recipe by Chef Vicky Ratnani
Pasts made with four different types of cheese - Parmesan, Cheddar, Brie and
Emmental. Sounds like a dream!

2. Pasta Carbonara
Recipe by Chef Ritu Dalmia

This simple Roman pasta dish derives its name from 'carbone' meaning coal.
It was a pasta popular with the coal miners. The original recipe calls for
guanciale, which is pig's cheek, but since its not easily available, the chef has
used bacon instead.

3. Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Recipe by Chef Manju Malhi

Gnocchi is a type of pasta in the form of dumplings which are usually made
with wheat flour, potato, semolina, egg and breadcrumbs. They can be served
with various sauces, this recipe uses a freshly-made tangy tomato sauce.

4. Pasta Con Pomodoro E Basilico

Recipe by Chef Ritu Dalmia

Pasta with the quintessential tomato and basil sauce. This is the most basic
and simplest cooked pasta sauce, hence it is the benchmark of a good Italian
home cook.

5. Home-Style Baked Pasta

Recipe by Chef Vicky Ratnani

You can never go wrong with this home-style baked pasta. Pasta, layers of
cheese, veggies and a tangy tomato sauce, all baked till golden and
glorious. (Recipe Video)

6. Ravioli with Coconut Milk & Lemongrass

Recipe by Chef Nikhil Chiband Natasha

With this recipe you learn the art of making ravioli. Ravioli is type of pasta
where sheets of dough are filled with a mixture. In this recipe, ravioli is stuffed
with a veggie mix and then drizzled with a smooth sauce made with coconut
milk, spring onions and fragrantlemongrass. (Recipe Video)

7. Whole Wheat Pasta in Mushroom Sauce

Recipe by Chef Ritu Dalmia

For all those fungi lovers, this recipe is just the ticket! This recipe calls for
shells made with whole wheat flour laced with a mushroom and white wine
sauce.

8. Spaghetti Bolognese
Recipe by Chef Manju Malhi

Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce for pasta which originated from

Bologna, Italy. This recipe uses minced lamb meat, onions, tomato, lots of
Parmesan and the warmth of nutmeg.
(Recipe Video)

9. Lasagna
Recipe by Chef Joey Matthew

Layer after layer of cheesy explosion and gorgeous meat, this comes quite
close to heaven. Lasagna is known to be one of the oldest types of pastas
which originated in Naples, Italy.

10. Penne Ala Vodka