Pasta, short for spaghetti, is found in almost every Western restaurant and is a staple in Western cuisine, but pasta is not as simple as we think and there is not just one type of pasta. As an a la carte staple, pasta is a great example of innovation in the food world.

The earliest pasta was formed around the 13th and 14th centuries AD, and after the Renaissance, the variety and sauces grew with the art. When you really get into the world of pasta, you discover a realm that you never knew existed - the world of pasta is so varied.

Each pasta dish is different in shape, in size, in sauce and even in thickness. The world of pasta is a kaleidoscope of variations, with at least 500 different types, long or short, thick or thin, smooth or rough, curved or slit, giving endless choices.

Spaghetti is the most traditional pasta shape and the one we usually see most often. It is the basic pasta and one of the more versatile pasta dishes and can be served with either a red sauce made from tomatoes or a green sauce based on basil and olive oil, as well as with cheese, although it is most often served with tomato sauce.

Capellini is a slightly finer pasta than spaghetti and is also known as "Angel Hair" because of its slightly golden shape, resembling the hair of an angel. If you use a sauce that is too rich, you may get tired of it after a few bites, and the flavor of the toppings may be too strong and overpower the pasta.

Lasagne is usually made from a fresh pasta crust with layers of meat, cheese, or vegetables in the middle, mostly square, and is baked instead, sometimes topped with a white sauce made from unsalted cream.

How to cook pasta: Firstly, pasta can easily stick together if there is not enough water, so make sure you put enough water in it and use a deep pan so that it does not overflow when it comes to a boil (don't put a lid on it during the cooking process). Note that more water is not always better.

Too much water not only prolongs the cooking time of the pasta but also reduces the starchiness of the broth, which will be less effective when added to the stir-fry.

Salt is usually recommended for pasta cooking. The purpose of salt is twofold: to season and add flavor to the pasta, and to enhance the toughness and taste of the pasta. Salted water is not meant to add a lot of salt to pasta, it should not be salty or bland.

Generally speaking, cooked pasta should be drained and tossed in a little olive oil. Once rinsed in cold water, the pasta will not hang easily in the sauce and the taste and appearance will be much worse.

The soup used to cook pasta contains a certain amount of starch and is much more useful than tap water in regulating the consistency of the sauce. It is also possible for the pasta to dry out during the stir-frying process, so adding a few ladles of stock will ensure that the pasta has a smooth, rounded texture.

It is important to reserve some of the sauce for the stir-fry, as too much dryness is unpleasant to taste.

Tip: The remaining sauce can also be used to decorate the dish and enhance the appearance of the meal.