How much bolus insulin did she have for her pasta? You could try splitting her bolus, giving a little immediately and the rest a while later (Youd have to experiment to find the best time). That may help.
I can't remember what I did when I was on injections as it was years ago but I know I split my bolus and it covered the pasta ok. I tested frequently after eating to see when the rise started, then timed the second part of my split bolus to deal with that.