PASTIFICIO G DI MARTINO

A short, grooved pasta in the shape of a small shell, served with meat or vegetable based sauces, also with added béchamel or soft and melted cheeses that collect in the hollow to make them even more succulent. Having these for dinner, expect to dream of a table full of food (number 82 in the Neapolitan smorfia system).

DI MARTINO: Pasta Spaghetti, 1 lb

A short cut with the same cross section as a middle, a grooved surface and a slanted cut. Excellent for meat ragouts, peppers, courgettes and artichokes for example.

A very short, grooved and straight cut shape, coming from Campania. Mezzi rigatoni lend themselves to both meat and vegetable based recipes, provided they're fluid enough to penetrate the grooves in this type of pasta. How can you not want a steaming portion of this pasta at least as high as Mount Vesuvius?

A long, flat and narrow cut. Of Ligurian origin, linguine go well with pesto alla genovese and sauces using molluscs and crustaceans. They are also great with white sauces based on milk, mascarpone or cheese, and spices. Try them with our recommended recipes, such as the gloriously simple "linguine aglio e uoglio" (linguine with garlic and oil), and make an impression when friends turn up for dinner unexpectedly ("all'intrasatta" in dialect) and there's little in the fridge.