What would chef recommend for a really tasty pasta dish?

Charlotte Sharp, Carnforth

There are so many types of fresh and dried pasta to chose from, so it's really a case of choosing something you like. Personally, I love a small type of pasta called orzo, it is very small, about twice the size of a grain of rice but it is a pasta. I love seafood, so for me prawns and mussels in a pasta dish are the way to go. Finely dice 2 shallots and crush 3 cloves of garlic. Fry without colour in a little olive oil until soft. Add a splash of white wine, then add some raw prawns and mussels, cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat, take out cooked prawns and mussels. Strain liquid through a fine strainer, keeping the liquid. Boil the orzo pasta according to the cooking instructions, drain, then place back into a pan with the seafood and the cooking liquor, add some quartered cherry tomatoes and a small bunch of fresh basil, season with salt and pepper, and a drizzle of good quality olive oil, give a good shake, then serve.