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Garlic, olive oil, chilli and pasta: aglio olio e peperoncino is one of Italy's simplest dishes, and the classic late-night plate. Here is its story.

Every bolognese is a ragù, but not every ragù is a bolognese. Here is how the two words fit together, and what Bologna itself says goes in the pot.

Tiramisu's birthplace is still argued over by two neighbouring Italian regions. Here is what each side claims, and what the written record actually shows.

Pesto genovese is Genoa's pounded basil sauce. Here is where it came from, what traditionally goes into it, and how our version at Bigoli differs.

Fettuccine Alfredo was created in Rome by restaurateur Alfredo Di Lelio around 1908, using just butter, Parmesan and pasta. Here is how it travelled, and changed, on its way round...

Pasta alla Norma is Catania's aubergine and tomato pasta, named after Bellini's opera. Here is what goes into it and why the story of its name is less certain than...

Amatriciana comes from the mountain town of Amatrice in Lazio and grew out of a tomato-free dish. Here is how it became a Roman classic.

Arrabbiata is Italian for "angry", a name Rome gives to dishes cooked with plenty of oil, garlic and chilli. Here is what the word means and where the sauce comes...

Carbonara is a Roman dish of cured pork, egg, hard cheese and black pepper, but its origin is still argued over. Here is what the record shows, and where the...

Match the pasta to the weight of the sauce. Here is how six classic shapes behave, what their names mean, and the sauces each one carries best.

The real difference between fresh and dried pasta is water. Here is how that one change affects flour, texture, cooking time, storage and the sauces each one suits.

Bigoli is a long, thick strand of pasta from the Veneto, pushed through a press called a bigolaro. Here is where it comes from, what goes into it and how...