Your pasta sucks, but it doesn't have to. Let celebrated comedian and totally legit author Matteo Lane show you how through 30 delicious recipes and laugh-out-loud stories.

Organized by the most important places and people in his life―from Chicago and New York to Rome and Sicily―comedian, actor, and YouTube sensation Matteo Lane’s first cookbook features recipes rooted in serious pasta knowledge but presented with his signature snarky and sassy wit. Turn these pages to find:

• A conversational recipe (definitely not an argument) with his bestie Nick Smith on their versions of Mac and Cheese.
• A short rant over the validity of “alfredo” that turns into a delicious recipe for Penna alla Vodka.
• Matteo’s foolproof Homemade Pasta recipe.
• Lots of hardworking, handy tips―like a treatise on how to not f*ck up your pasta―so you can learn while you laugh.

• Fans of Matteo Lane and his standup comedy
• People looking for books that celebrate Italian and Italian American culture
• Supporters of LGBTQIA+ content creators
• Fans of Italian cooking and food-centric entertainers like The Pasta Queen
• Foodies looking for a unique present for a housewarming, birthday, holiday, or host/hostess gift

A Waterstones 'Best Books of 2022: Food and Drink' A Times Food and Drink Book of the Year 2022 and a Spectator Cook Book of the Year 2022 A Stylist Christmas Gift Pick 2022 'If pasta is a religion, this book is its sermon' Russell Norman, founder of Polpo and Brutto 'Rewarding ... you discover a lot about Italy here ... huge fun' Sunday Times In one shape or another, pasta has been an Italian staple since the days of ancient Rome. It has been the food of peasants, the pride of royalty and a culinary badge of honour for Italian emigrants all over the world. It's hard to imagine Italy without pasta, yet the history of the country's most famous food has changed with the fortunes of eaters and cooks alike. In A Brief History of Pasta, discover the humble origins of fettuccine Alfredo that lie in a back-street trattoria in Rome, how Genovese sauce became a Neapolitan staple and what conveyor belts have to do with serving spaghetti. Meet the people who have shaped pasta's history, from the traders who brought pesto to the world to the celebrity chef who sparked national outrage by adding an unpeeled garlic clove to his recipe for amatriciana sauce. Renowned culinary historian Luca Cesari delves into the fascinating variety of his country's best-loved food, serving up the secrets behind the creamiest carbonara, the richest ragu alla Bolognese and the tastiest tortellini.

The Pasta Man, Mateo Zielonka, makes the most spectacular, original pasta you've ever seen. Striped, spotted, red and green and black, and every shape imaginable, Mateo's pasta is a carb-lover's dream. Now in The Pasta Man, Mateo reveals for the first time how you too can make his beautiful creations. Starting with classic golden dough, and with "how to" sections guiding you through every shape and effect, from spots and stripes (using all-natural ingredients), lasagne sheets and pappardelle, ravioli pillows, tortellini and other glorious filled pastas, he then offers 40 recipes for delicious sauces and suppers in which to showcase your delicately crafted pasta. Illustrated with beautiful photography and clear step-by-step instructions, whether you're a pasta beginner or enthusiast, let yourself be guided by a master and make your own pasta a work of art.