Noodles, in Japan and China, dumplings in central Europe and macaroni and spaghetti in Italy - every nation has its own variation on pasta. But in Britain we took a lot longer to come round to the idea.

By the 1980s a new form of pasta had hit the supermarket shelves - fresh pasta. Fresh Pasta manufacturers in Britain are constantly developing new recipes to meet what seems our insatiable desire for this food. Be it fresh, filled, tinned or dried - from its Italian roots the British have made this most simple of foods their own.

Alan Coxon gives his recipe for conchigli with spinach, gorgonzola and pine nut stuffing, while Kathy Sykes explains what makes sticky pasta and what happens when you add oil or salt to boiling water.