Pasta, tomatoes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil and garlic. With these five ingredients you can whip up a quick-and-easy, tasty dish that everyone will love. Here are three tips for the perfect pasta meal:

* You’ll get a sweeter taste from fresh, ripe tomatoes rather than tinned ones.
* If you chop the garlic into thin slices before frying, it will have a milder flavour than if you chop it up finely and fry until golden.
* If you add a sixth ingredient like hot chilli peppers or chilli powder, you’ll really bring it to life—go easy, though, or else you’ll end up with spaghetti all’arrabbiata!