Spaghetti alla Carbonara: when it's good, it can make your eyes roll back in your head with pleasure. It lurks there, beckoning, batting its eyelashes on Italian menus. When you don't order it, you usually end up wishing you had.

Do you ever make it at home? Seems easy enough, right? It's basically just bacon, eggs, and pasta. But like most things with few ingredients, there is a technique that binds all the magic together and if you don't have really great ingredients and a grasp of a few key pieces of technique, you'll be let down — possibly with scrambled eggs on your pasta.

To help you avoid this bummer and give you the opportunity to experience a classic in its greatest form, I spoke to several ace chefs and got the scoop on how to make really authentic spaghetti alla carbonara. More

Q: Does anyone have tricks for mixing ingredients into pasta? In restaurants the ingredients seem to be so well mixed, but when I make pastas at home, all of the good stuff clumps together or sinks to the bottom. Any mixing tricks?

Sent by Kristy More

My favorite appetizers are simple affairs: easy to make, easy to eat. These elegant little cucumber cups fit the bill quite nicely, with the added bonus of making it appear as though they were much more difficult to make than they were. Paired with a gin & tonic, these are a total dinner party win. More

Ramps: Those tender wild onions, shot with pink and flopping over every table at the spring farmers' markets. They are a symbol of spring cooking — but what do you do with them? I often pass them by, glad for their symbolic welcome to spring, but happier with heartier leeks and onions. Well, this spring I decided to really open my arms to ramps — and I remembered that the simplest ways are often the best. Here's perhaps the easiest, tastiest way to enjoy ramps: Spaghetti pan-fried until golden with tender ramps and fragrant mint. More

Excited for spring but still waiting for beautiful produce to show up at the farmers' market? Try this bridge between seasons - a creamy yet light pasta dish filled with roasted veggies and a balsamic sauce. More

Q: For a friend's upcoming birthday I bought her a bottle of white truffle oil, something she's been dying to try but hesitant to splurge on. I'd like to get her some ingredients to go with the oil. How do you guys recommend showcasing truffle oil, especially for a truffle oil virgin?

Sent by Sarah More

With the arrival of longer, warmer days, I'm craving light and refreshing meals – the kind that take advantage of new spring produce and leave plenty of energy for an after-dinner walk to enjoy the extended sunshine and new blossoms around the neighborhood. A soba noodle salad fits the bill, and this one features seasonal gifts like tender asparagus and peppery radishes, watercress, and chives. Rounded out with extra-crispy tofu and a buttery miso dressing, this one-dish vegetarian meal both satisfies and enlivens the palate. More

Q: I'm a runner, and preparing to carbo load with some whole wheat pasta. Runners are discouraged from eating dairy before a race, so I'm looking for an interesting recipe that doesn't involve butter or cheese.

Sent by Rachel More

Spaghetti with tomato sauce was always a lazy Friday night dinner in our house. It was quick, easy, and best of all, everyone loved it. Here are ten ideas for spaghetti that might take a little longer than opening a jar, but are sure to take your spaghetti night to a whole new level. More

When you're looking for a quick supper, a bag of orzo is a good thing to have on hand. This small, rice-shaped pasta cooks up quickly and adds a nice, chewy texture to your dishes. It's a classic for pasta salads and soups, and can be baked in casseroles or cooked 'risotto-style' in broth. While orzo is rice-shaped, it is very different than rice in taste and texture. Still, it can substitute as a side starch if rice is too time-consuming.

Read on for a round up of orzo dishes from The Kitchn. More