Rewrite the spaghetti and meatball rules with this no-waste herby pesto.

Matt Preston is a fan of fast, flavourful food. Here are one of his favourite ready-in-a-flash dishes. “Feel free to play with the herbs in this pesto. Try tarragon and parsley. The pesto can also be used as a dressing for grilled veg, chicken, white fish or even hard-boiled eggs.”

"If a recipe calls for half an onion, don't be scared to use the whole onion if it means you won't leave it in the fridge for a week then just throw it out." – Jo Barrett

Three Blue Ducks' Mark LaBrooy whips up a mean clam pasta. The shellfish oil is bound to be a conversation starter.

You can use broccolini instead of cauliflower. Be sure to blanch the broccolini before roasting.

This smoked ham hock pasta sauce is a true family favourite, and makes the most of any ingredients you might have in the pantry or fridge. Begin this recipe 3 hours ahead.

There's nothing better than a creamy pasta in the middle of the week, and this dish proves why.

This warming bowl of satisfying goodness all starts with a rich homemade chicken stock.

This no-waste, vegie-filled pasta bake can easily be made vegetarian – just omit the bacon.

"You can use any kind of smoked salmon here – honey smoked or flavoured with black pepper." – Kirsten Jenkins

This tomato and eggplant pasta is a midweek staple, making the most of pantry basics.

This light meal is elevated by a homemade pepita pangritata, adding crunch to this spring pasta salad.

This is an edited extract from The Sicily Cookbook by Cettina Vicenzino (DK, $34.99).

This traditional pasta sauce brings the best flavours of Italy, right to the dining table.

This quick pasta recipe couldn't be easier, and will transport you to the Amalfi Coast of Italy, where citrus and seafood are staple ingredients.