For Italians food lies at the very centre of their culture, from the beaches in the south to the mountains of the north tens of millions of families make the time to eat together every day. Across the country every evening, care is taken to prepare the family meal with fresh ingredients and then the day's activities are discussed over a relaxed, lengthy dinner. The nation's philosophy of 'living to eat' rather than 'eating to live' is a lesson we can all learn from.

Many of us may know the basics, but how many have really aced cooking the Italian way? Whilst the Italian way of dining can last hours, the preparation and cooking time does not, with some fresh pasta taking as little as a minute to cook – therefore leaving more time to spend with the family. So if you have a gap in your knowledge about starters, mains or side dishes, and how to create a true Mediterranean dining experience, just log on to our Web TV show for some top tips from the experts.

Italian 'mamas' Monica and Daniela have been handpicked by Italian hero and pasta maker Giovanni Rana to provide authentic home-cooking solutions to all your cuisine queries. Learn how to fuse fine ingredients together for your very own little piece of la dolce vita and develop that old college recipe for Spag Bol.