You can eat raw broad beans (fava beans) to your heart's content. I eat pounds of the things as I'm shelling them and the old boys in southern Spain, doing the same, often don't let them get anywhere near the kitchen. I haven't eaten raw French beans. Why would I!

As for pasta, Dave, there is more than one grade of durum wheat and one of them makes higher quality pasta. On top of that, some pasta is made using bronze dies, which roughen the surface and help the pasta to pick up more sauce. The fact that some pasta is "big brand" is another factor in price. Look for "pasta Di Gragnano" on the label. Gragnano is a town in Campania, between Sorrento and Naples, in the hills overlooking the Bay of Naples, the place of my dreams. Gragnano's claim to fame is its pasta. The Waitrose one I mentioned is from there. Sainsbury's and Tesco also sell theirs. A very good short one is Gigli from Tesco, fantastic with a sauce made from tuna, capers, garlic and creme fraiche, but I've never eaten a disappointing pasta from Gragnano. They are very proud of their tradition. These ones generally cost about £1.70 for 500g, easily enough for two people twice. As with rice, even expensive pasta is cheap, and I don't go for very low-priced ones. Everyone seems to eat De Cecco in Italy but I find it a bit so-so. It's a lot cheaper there than here. And don't be deluded by Napolina. It isn't an Italian company at all, owned as it is by Princes. Last time I looked, their HQ was on the waterfront in Liverpool! Their bronze-die spaghetti is fine but I don't care for their tinned tomatoes at all.