Dried pasta -  Firstly make sure you have a pan of boiling salted water on the go (use 1 litre/1 quart of water per 100g pasta) and plenty of salt (think of it as being as salty as sea water). This salt is important as it seasons the pasta whilst cooking and also the sauce when you use the water to loosen the sauce in finishing the dish! Always make sure to reserve some of the cooking water. Length of cooking time depends on the brand and shape used; this can take anything between 8 to 14 minutes. I suggest following the packet instructions BUT recommend starting with the shortest listed time and then tasting it; if it's ready it will have a slight bite still but not be completely chalky. If it needs to be cooked longer, do it in increments of 1 minute and keep tasting to test it. The finished pasta will still be absorbing water and cooking in the final prep of the dish. If it’s very limp and mushy you have over cooked it. Fresh egg pasta - Follow the boiling water step above for dried pasta. If you make your own pasta or buy it fresh, it will literally take a maximum of 2-3 minutes, once placed in the boiling water. It will be glossy and still have a little bite.