Vegetable pasta

Boil it in plenty of salted water, stirring during the first minute so the pieces do not stick. Start tasting a minute or two before the packet’s suggested time; drain as soon as the centre still has a slight bite.

Spinach and tomato are common ingredients, often added as purée or powder to colour and flavour the dough. The name alone does not tell you how much vegetable it contains, so check the ingredients.

Usually not as a full portion: vegetable pasta is still mainly pasta, and the vegetable ingredient may be only a small amount of purée or powder. Serve it with a generous helping of actual vegetables, such as courgette, peas or roasted aubergine.

Toss it with olive oil, garlic and roasted vegetables, or serve it with tomato sauce and grated cheese. Spinach pasta also works well with mushrooms and a creamy sauce; tomato pasta pairs nicely with olives and basil.

Keep it in a cool, dry cupboard in a tightly closed packet or airtight container, away from steam and strong-smelling foods. Use it by the date on the packet, and discard it if you find dampness or pantry pests.

Cool it promptly, then refrigerate it in a covered container and eat it within three days. Reheat until steaming hot, or use it cold in a pasta salad kept chilled until serving.

Yes: use it in the same dishes and cook it in boiling water, but check the packet because shape and ingredients can change the cooking time. If you need a gluten-free option, choose pasta specifically labelled gluten-free; vegetable pasta is often made with wheat.