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It is said that Marco Polo brought the formula to make pasta back from one of his trips to China, and it was such a hit at home that today it is considered Italy's most typical dish, if
not its only one. And Italians do deserve credit for spreading pasta around the rest of the world.�

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A wide variety
Today pasta comes in a thousand shapes, colours and flavours and there are myriad recipes for preparing it. But they are useless if you overcook or undercook it, since this ruins its flavor. The formula for getting it just right is simple: boiling, salted water, one litre of water for every 100 grams of pasta, plus two grams of salt. Add the salt when the water begins to boil. Then add the pasta, stirring it so it doesn't stick.

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As for cooking time, it's eight to ten minutes for dry pasta and five for fresh pasta, although there are no set rules. If you want to get it right, taste the pasta before the cooking time recommended on the package runs out. Don't add oil to the water. This makes the pasta greasy and it will not absorb whatever sauce you serve it with. Also, end
the habit of running it under cold water because this also takes away some of the pasta's flavor.

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These general rules vary slightly if the pasta is going to be served in a salad. You should choose compact shapes like corkscrews, bowties or shells. Once cooked and web-drained, add a few drops of oil so it doesn't dry out as it chills. This is the basis of the salad. All you have to do now is add the rest of the ingredients called for in the recipe or use your imagination.

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Creative salads
Pasta goes well with all kinds of vegetables, both raw and cooked, as well as shellfish, cold cuts, aromatic herbs and even fruit. It makes excellent summer salad that Spaniards know as ensalada campera, replacing the potatoes with shell or corkscrew pasta. Mix it with diced tomatoes and cucumbers and add a can of mackerel or mussels and you have a dish that is easy to make and delicious to eat. Tuna, olives, hard-boiled egg, onion and raw spinach give the pasta a burst of colour and flavour. Don't forget smoked fish, or nuts to give it a crunchy touch.

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Sauces also let the imagination go to work. They can range from traditional vinaigrette to sauces made from cheese, fresh tomato with basil or pesto, made from basil, parmesan cheese, oil and garlic. Another tasty one is hazel nut vinaigrette:to the vinegar and oil add
a tablespoon of chopped hazel nuts and a teaspoon of pepper and finely chopped spring onions. Or you can try a simple oil sauce from Galicia. This is made with garlic browned in good olive oil, then, away from the frying pan, add sweet paprika or a mix of sweet and spicy. Let the mix settle so the paprika sinks to the bottom, the recover the now tasty oil
and fried garlic. Add to this some slices of boiled octopus and you have a highly original and delicious salad.�

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When we speak of pasta salads, one must not forget the tabouleh from Lebanon. It is one the most fragrant and refreshing dishes anywhere in the world. It is prepared with bulgar wheat semolina (the same grain used to make cous-cous) which comes pre-cooked. All you need to do is add a bit of cold water to soften it before adding diced tomatoes, lemon juice, lots of chopped mint and parsley, onion, oil, salt and pepper. Unforgettable!

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