Pasta without a sauce is like eating salad without a dressing.

There is great variety in the types of sauce which can be used to accompany pasta, from very simple recipes with 1-2 ingredients, to very complicated ones.

The simplest sauce is made from oil or butter and grated cheese and is a slightly more complex version of the all-time favorite combination of bread and cheese. For many, this is the most pleasurable way to eat pasta.

With the addition of some simple ingredients, either on their own or in combination, you can achieve various enriched versions of pasta sauces. These ingredients include garlic, olives, anchovies, capers, tomatoes, herbs, etc.