NOODLE DISHES ARE something that I find both deeply comforting and joyful to eat. The tangled strands soak up sauces and broths but, more importantly, it’s interactive eating at its best and worst. Noisily slurping thick noodles from a spicy broth or twirling spaghetti around the tines of a fork is one of life’s great pleasures. Inevitably (at least for me) there is the added drama of spilt sauce on clothing to deal with.

The variation of noodle doughs, flours and additions means noodles can be firm, springy or bouncy. They might be tender and slippery smooth or with a distinct short bite. Barely sauced peasant-style Italian pastas such as aglio e olio rely on minimal ingredients and use the starchy pasta water as an emulsifier but the noodles soak up what little flavour there is. Possibly this is their greatest appeal, that the noodles integrate with whatever else they are served with no matter how simple or complex it may be, while still retaining their shape, structure and integrity.

I have given a recommended noodle for each dish, though I see no reason why you shouldn’t swap and change to what you have in the cupboard.