A good tomato, or Pomodoro sauce is the great basis for many a delicious pasta dish.

Perfect served simply with pasta, or topped with pan-fried or griddled chicken, chicken Milanese, meatballs or prawns.

Any of the tomato sauces work really well with griddled or sauteed chicken, or king prawns.

There's something so good about a baked pasta dish. Often topped with a cheese or bechamel sauce, or mozzarella or parmesan, its that crispy top that is so inviting. Comfort food at it's best!

Chicken works so well in Italian cuisine, whether it's cooked in a rich tomato sauce, part of a delicious risotto, or coated in parmesan and breadcrumbs and fried until beautifully golden.

Prawns are a perfect accompaniment to a good tomato sauce, but tinned tuna also works really well, whilst salmon and broccoli pasta is a creamy classic.

Spaghetti Bolognese is probably the most popular Italian pasta dish of all time, but chorizo, pancetta or guanciale also work really well.

Lots of different vegetables work beautifully with pasta, from asparagus to aubergine, broccoli and peppers.

Tomato, mozzarella or burrata are the basis for so many tasty salads and starters, with just a small selection shown below.