The number of ways you can dress up plain old pasta is literally endless. Here are 15 favorites we've spotted around the web that are sure to make your tastebuds tingle. There's a little something for everyone including breakfast pasta (be still my heart), and even pesto ABC's! More

Other than headlining a BLT or lying beside a pile of scrambled eggs, this may be our favorite use for bacon. It adds so much flavor to pasta, pairs well with so many vegetables (green peas, broccoli, butternut squash), and—if you chop it into pieces first—cooks in no time. More

Think of all the classic comfort food pasta dishes and you'll see the same key players: butter, cream, and cheese. Which leaves our vegan friends out in the cold sans delicious pasta. This will not do! Herewith are 8 vegan-approved pasta dishes that will fill your belly and make you sigh with happiness. More

Diet fads come and go. This we know for sure. In the 1980's and early 90's, pasta was the thing: it was virtually fat-free and perfect for filling up on quick energy without risking excessive weight gain. Or so we thought. More

A traditional Florentine pasta, ricotta gnocchi is the lighter, hipper cousin to northern Italy's potato gnocchi.This gnocchi cooks up as soft, mild-flavored dumplings. They make a great base for any sauce, especially a simple tomato sauce. And if we'd known how easy it was to make ricotta gnocchi, we would have added it to our cooking rotation years ago! More

Welcome to Pasta Week at The Kitchn! In my household, pasta has a special significance. It isn't just a quick and easy option for a weeknight meal. It isn't just a hot, comforting bowl of noodles on a cold fall night, or a supportive base for a scoop of of chunky ragú. At my table, pasta is an overt gesture of love. More

I am definitely a cold weather cook. Even in the spring and summer I can't seem to stop braising meats and baking casseroles. Comfort food is definitely a major theme in my kitchen. And while exploring Southern cuisine — which is the ultimate comfort food in my book — is my passion, I also enjoy exploring the comfort foods of other nations. More

Gluten-free pasta doesn't have the best reputation in the world. In most cases, I'd rather cook with gluten-free Asian noodles than a way too chewy or mushy imitation of Italian-style pasta. But Jovial brown rice pasta promised "traditional Italian taste & texture," so I thought I'd give it a try… More

Homemade macaroni and cheese is almost always a Good Thing, but is Martha Stewart's recipe perhaps the best of all? Food52 has declared it a "genius recipe" and explains why this version of mac and cheese — creamy, sharp and capped with a layer of crunchy croutons — is a keeper. More

Cavarola Dough Board from Artisanal Pasta Tools

• $69
• Artisanal Pasta Tools

These boards make rectangular pasta shapes imprinted with elaborate crosshatching. This herringone crosshatching is cut into the boards themselves by hand, which of course makes them very beautiful. They're both decorative and practical — a motivation to roll out even more handmade pasta.

Comes in beech, walnut, or cherry wood. 8.5 inches wide by 12 inches long. More