White pasta

Allow about 75–100 g dry pasta per adult for a main meal, or 50–75 g for a side dish. It roughly doubles in weight as it cooks.

Put it into a large pan of boiling, well-salted water and stir straight away. Start tasting a minute or two before the packet’s suggested time; drain when it is tender but still has a slight bite.

Usually not: rinsing washes away surface starch that helps sauce cling. Rinse it only when you are making a cold pasta salad and want to stop it cooking quickly.

Use plenty of boiling water and stir well during the first minute, when the pieces are most likely to stick. Once drained, toss it promptly with sauce; adding oil to the cooking water does little to prevent sticking.

Yes, in a one-pot dish: add the dry pasta to a generous amount of simmering sauce or stock, and stir often so it cooks evenly without catching. Add more hot liquid as needed; the pasta is ready when tender.

Cool it promptly, place it in a covered container and refrigerate; use it within three days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout, adding a splash of water or sauce to loosen it.

Its mild flavour works with tomato and basil, pesto, or a creamy cheese sauce. For a quick, classic pairing, toss spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and chilli, then finish with parsley.

Yes: whole pasta has 11.5 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3 g in white pasta. Its nuttier flavour and firmer texture suit robust sauces, beans and roasted vegetables.