Mixing with friends who are great cooks is fine... as long as it's their turn to entertain!
But when you're not so talented in the kitchen, you need a special ingredient to help you shine - and 'Pasta' is the answer.
Eric Treuille and Anna Del Conte show you how to serve up truly impressive food with uncomplicated ingredients.
Their book offers a master class in this modern diet staple, from the authors' 10 commandments on how to cook pasta properly, to which types of pasta work best with which sauces.
Recipes are arranged by ingredient so that you can choose what to cook according to what's in your cupboard.
They are signposted as no-cook, quick-cook or slow-cook, so you can whip up a quick supper or devote more time to a recipe, depending on your schedule.
The vast majority are at the speedy end of the spectrum, allowing you to serve up a mouth-watering meal in less time than it takes to have an uninspiring takeaway delivered.
Choose from classic sauces such as pesto and puttanesca, quick options including Wild Mushroom Persillade and Scallops with Creme Fraiche and Dill, or go to town with recipes for Seafood Extravaganza and Venetian-Style Chicken Liver.
Recipes are also handily grouped into those suited to, for example, crowds, children, cold weather comfort eating or a summer weekend.
With busy cooks in mind, Pasta proves that fast food doesn't have to be junk food - with these recipes and time-saving tips it can be easy, delicious and nutritious.
(Dorling Kindersley, hardback, £9.99) 
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