If we could give a medal to the hardest-working multi-tasker of the food world, it would have to go to pasta.

No ingredient is quite so versatile when it comes to blending different flavours and tastes (creamy burrata, hot chilli, bacon, sage or squash - you name it, pasta can do it). No foodstuff is as flexible in meeting the needs of picky eaters (pasta can be veggie, gluten-free and even low carb). And above all, no dish is as eminently satisfying whatever the occasion.

Want a Friday night comfort splurge? Fresh tagliatelle heaped with prosciutto will do the job. Need to wow your dinner guests? Orecchiette cacio e pepe is there to please. Fancy a quick-fix lunch option? Throw together a pasta shell salad with burrata, peas and green beans on the side.

Read on for 15 reasons why this queen of Italian cuisine is our hero kitchen ingredient - courtesy of the most tasty-looking recipes Pinterest has to share:

The cheesy delight: caprese mac and cheese

The world's most delicious pasta dishes: recipes to suit every taste and occasion