Pasta

Dried pasta is made from durum wheat semolina and water, pressed through dies into shapes and dried slowly. Durum wheat gives pasta its firm bite, so it holds its shape in the pan. Shapes fall into two groups: long pasta such as spaghetti, spaghettini and linguine, and short pasta such as penne, fusilli and macaroni.

Match the shape to the sauce. Thin strands suit olive oil, garlic and light tomato sauces, which coat them evenly. Tubes and twists carry thick, chunky sauces and cheese, and stand up well in a baked dish. Smooth penne, or lisce, gives a silkier finish, while ridged rigate holds on to more sauce. Many Indian homes cook pasta with onion, tomato, capsicum and a spoon of garam masala; pasta also sits well beside noodles as an easy midweek meal.

Boil pasta in plenty of well salted water and taste it a minute before the time on the pack, so it comes out al dente. Save a cup of the starchy water to loosen the sauce. Keep opened packs sealed in a dry cupboard, where dried pasta keeps for many months. For tomatoes, browse tinned tomatoes, and find more in snacks and noodles.