The old but never stale favorite is followed from its still controversial origins to its position as the most familiar "ethnic food" in the US. Fabrizio Ungaro introduces 35 different types of the seemingly simple stuff (pasta made with squid's ink?), from the common spaghetti and penne to the atypical regional pastas like bigoli and pizzocheri. The author gives a quick course in the intricacies of in-home pasta making (spaghetti, tortellini, raviolii and agnolotti) and pasta sauces.