Elegant or simple, humble or classic, the infinite variety of pasta has made it a contemporary staple and the original five-minute meal. With more than 150 truly authentic recipes, this comprehensive cookbook covers everything the pasta fanatic needs to know--from dough and shapes to sauces and stuffings. Eating pasta is meant to be a sensual experience--with each of the various textures awakening the palate--and this book evokes this experience in mouthwatering photographs that accompany each recipe.

The book opens with an informative chapter on making your own fresh pasta, including specialist needs such as wheat-free pastas. Following are chapters on Pasta Soups, Instant Pasta, Everyday Pasta, Light and Healthy Pasta, and Pasta to Impress. Throughout the book are master class recipes built to lend themselves to myriad variations, according to taste and seasonal availability; you could develop a new and delicious pasta meal for every day of the year. Innovative methods for cooking pasta, such as baking in parchment paper, simmering in broth, poaching in a roll, deep frying, and baking in a sweet tart are present in stunning stylish photography that demonstrates how to prepare and serve pasta.

With an enthusiastic chef as your guide, here is a treasury of recipes that are sourced from every region of Italy, as well as from the author's own family and friends.

Recipes include:

Canneloni with Fava Beans and Ricotta

Chiaroscuro Black Tagliolini with Clams and Cockles

Bonbons with Wild Mushrooms and Ricotta

Gargonelli with Salmon, Mascarpone, and Lemon

Spaghetti with Roast Chestnuts and Sage.