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You are here: Home / Italian Food Guide / Pasta

Pasta

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Strozzapreti_PastaMarco Polo DID NOT return to Italy with pasta from China. This legend is false. In fact, pasta was invented by Italians and has become symbolic of their dedication to perfection and pride in the kitchen.

History of Pasta

Ancient Rome was the birthplace of fresh pasta (pasta fresca),which was made by adding water to semolina-flour. This vital ingredient is made from durum wheat, a thriving crop in Italy’s temperate climate. Unlike the dried pasta found at your local grocery store today, fresh pasta was meant to be eaten immediately. The Arab invasions of Sicily in the 8th Century are thought to be the origins of dried pasta (pasta secca). At the time, Palermo was producing mass quantities of the new product. Some Arabian influence can still be found in select recipes, using ingredients such as raisins and cinnamon.

In the 1300’s, dried pasta became very popular for use on long nautical expeditions because of its shelf-life and nutrition. These voyages contributed to pasta’s worldwide appeal and led to advances in its form and technology. Back in Italy, pasta was slowly migrating north to Naples and reached its destination in the 17th Century. A few historical events boosted pasta to a national icon. It became a kitchen staple during the Risorgimento (Italian Unification) in the mid 1860’s. Italian political and military figure Giuseppe Garibaldi introduced the country to La Scienza in cucina e l’Arte I Mangiar bene, a cookbook written in 1891 by Pellegrino Artusi that featured pasta. Tomato sauce was introduced to Italy in the 19th Century but was met with skepticism. The tomato, being a member of the nightshade family, was considered inedible in many regions; fortunately, those rumors were put to rest shortly thereafter. The last major event to influence pasta’s early history was the Italian Diaspora, a mass migration of Italians from their country in the time between the Unification and World War I. These times of hardship led Italians to take even more pride in refining the art of cooking.

Types of Pasta

There are two major classifications: pasta fresca (fresh) and pasta secca (dried). From here, there are more than 400 unique types of pasta: sheets, strips, long strands, cylinders, unique shapes, flavors, and many other local varieties. There are more names for pasta than the mind can retain, yet all are made from the same basic ingredients — 100% durum wheat and water with a specific percentage of acidity and humidity under Italian law. Varying from the basics, light flavors and colors can be added to pasta with egg yolk, spinach, tomato paste, chocolate, and even squid ink. Each of these pastas creates its own unique dining experience when properly served. Another crucial aspect of the experience is pasta being married with an appropriate, complimentary sauce. The individual shape and texture given to pasta can be somewhat of a code in determining the proper sauce. A simple rule of thumb would be as follows: thick pasta = thick sauce, light pasta = light sauce.

Pasta fresca, the starting point of all pastas, is created with higher humidity, and some types only exist in this category. Variations can often be regional. Northern Italy is known to use all-purpose flour and eggs, while southern Italy uses the standard semolina and water mixture. Reputed to have the best pasta fresca in Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region often serves fresh pasta with cream sauces. Another regional variation could be found in Piedmont where butter and black truffles are a common ingredient. Other ingredients vary, from potatoes to ricotta.

Special tools are used when making dried pasta. First, the pasta is forced through holes in a die-plate and onto sheets for cutting. The next step is drying. Pasta secca is only considered real pasta if it is made in the proper Italian way, slow-drying it for upwards of fifty hours in a copper mold, and then in the open air. The rest of the world usually dries pasta in steel molds at extremely high temperatures for short periods of time, resulting in an inferior product. Italians take pride in their method and can be proud of a smoother tasting, quicker cooking pasta that can hold on to its sauce.

 

Shapes of Pasta

The following table maps out the various shapes and forms of pasta:

Unique Shapes

Name Description Translation
Campanelle Flattened bell-shaped pasta with a frilly edge on one end Little bells
Capunti Short convex ovals resembling an open empty pea pod
Casarecce Short lengths rolled into an S shape From casereccio meaning homemade
Cavatelli Short, solid lengths From the verb cavare meaning to hollow
Cencioni Petal shaped, slightly curved with rough convex side Little rags
Conchiglie Seashell shaped Shells
Conchiglioni Large, stuffable seashell-shaped Large shells
Corzetti Flat figure-eight stamped
Creste di Galli Short, curved and ruffled Cocks’ combs
Croxetti Flat coin-shaped discs stamped with coats of arms Little crosses
Fantolioni Panda-shaped bow-ties commonly served with boiled olives Pre-packaged pandas
Farfalle Bow tie or butterfly shaped Butterflies
Farfallone Larger bowties Large butterfly
Fiorentine Grooved cut tubes Florentine
Fiori Shaped like a flower Little flowers
Foglie d’ulivo Shaped like an olive leaf Olive leaf
Fusilli Three-edged spiral, usually in mixed colors. Many vendors and brands sold as fusilli are two-edged From fusile, archaic/dialect form of fucile, meaning rifle. As the inside barrel of a gun is “rifled” using a similar screw-shaped device
Fusilli Bucati A spring-shaped variety of the above Holed rifles
Gemelli A single S-shaped strand of pasta twisted in a loose spiral Twins
Gigli Cone or flower shaped Lilies
Gnocchi Round in shape and often made with flour plus potatoes From the Italian gnocco, meaning “a knot in wood”
Gramigna Short, curled lengths of pasta Scutch-grass; more generically, “infesting weed”
Lanterne Curved ridges Lantern holders
Lumache Snail-shaped From lumaca, meaning snail
Lumaconi Jumbo lumache Large snails
Maltagliati Flat roughly cut triangles Badly cut
Mandala Designed by Philippe Starck in 1987 for French pasta-maker Panzani Design based on compensating for overcooking
Marille Designed by Giorgetto Guigiaro in 1983 – like a rolling ocean wave in cross-section with internal rugosities, but unsuccessful and no longer produced From mare, meaning “sea”
Orecchiette Bowl or ear shaped pasta Little ears
Pipe Larger version of macaroni Smoking pipes
Quadrefiore Square with rippled edges Flower quadrants
Radiatore Shaped like radiators Radiator
Ricciolini Short wide pasta with a 90-degree twist From riccio, curly
Ricciutelle Short spiraled pasta From riccio, curly
Rotelle Wagon wheel-shaped pasta Little wheels (from ruota-wheel)
Rotini 2-edged spiral, tightly wound. Some vendors and brands are 3-edged and sold as rotini
Spirali A tube which spirals round Spirals
Spiralini More tightly-coiled fusilli Little spirals
Strangolapreti Rolled across their width Priest-chokers or priest-stranglers
Torchio Torch-shaped Winepress
Trofie Thin twisted pasta

Tubular Pasta

Name Description Translation
Bucatini Hollow spaghetti Little holes
Calamarata Wide ring shaped pasta Squid (also known as “calamari”)
Calamaretti Smaller Calamarata
Cannelloni Large stuffable tubes Big pipes or reeds
Cavatappi Corkscrew-shaped macaroni Corkscrews; also known as Cellentani and Spirali
Cellentani Corkscrew-shaped tube
Chifferi Short and wide macaroni
Ditalini Short tubes, like elbows but shorter and without a bend Small fingers
Fideua Short and thin tubes
Gomito Maccheroni Bent tubes Elbow macaroni
Elicoidali Slightly ribbed tube pasta; the ribs are corked as opposed to those on rigatoni Helicoidal
Fagioloni Short narrow tube Little beans
Garganelli Square egg noodle rolled into a tube
Maccheroni As long as a little finger, usually striped
Maccheroncelli Hollow pencil-shaped pasta
Maltagliati Short wide pasta with diagonally cut ends Roughly cut
Manicotti Large ridged tubes that are stuffed Sleeves, from the Italian word manica
Mezzani Pasta Short curved tube From Mezzo meaning half-size
Mezze Penne Short version of penne Half-pens
Mezze Bombardoni Short, wide tubes Half bombards
Mostaccioli Sometimes mistakenly used as another name for Penne, Mostaccioli differ in that they do not have ridges. Mostaccioli are also called Penne Lisce or “smooth penne” Mustaches
Paccheri Large tube
Pasta al Ceppo Shaped like a cinnamon stick
Penne Medium length tubes with ridges, cut diagonally at both ends Literally “pens” because the tip is similar to that of a quill, or fountain pen
Penne Rigate Penne with ridged sides
Penne Lisce Penne with smooth sides
Penne Zita Wider version of penne
Pennette Short thin version of penne
Pennoni Wider version of penne
Perciatelli Thicker bucatini From the verb Perciare meaning “Hollow inside”
Rigatoncini Smaller version of rigatoni
Rigatoni Large and slightly curved tube From riga, meaning line: rigatoni is pasta with lines (large). Rigato or rigate, when added to another pasta name means lined, or, with ridges added, as in “spaghetti rigati”
Sagne Incannulate Long tube formed of twisted ribbon
Trenne Penne shaped as a triangle
Trennette Smaller version of trenne
Tortiglioni Narrower rigatoni From the verb Torcere meaning “to twist.” Twisted, wringed
Tuffoli Ridged rigatoni
Ziti Long, narrow hose-like tubes
Zitoni Wider version of Ziti

Strand Pasta

Name Description Translation
Spaghettoni Thick spaghetti Thick little twine
Spaghetti Most common round-rod pasta Spago means twine, spaghetto means little twine, spaghetti is plural
Spaghettini Thin spaghetti Thin little twine
Fedelini Between spaghetti and vermicelli in size Little faithful ones
Vermicelloni Thick vermicelli Thick little worms
Vermicelli Thicker than capellini, thinner than fedelini Little worms
Capellini Thinner than vermicelli, thicker than angel hair Fine hair
Capellini d’angelo Thinnest round-rod pasta Angel hair

In order of thickest to thinnest.

Various Strand Pasta

Name Description Translation
Barbina Thin strands often coiled into nests Little beards
Spaghetti alla Chitarra Similar to spaghetti, except square rather than round, and made of egg in addition to flour Named after the device used to cut the pasta, which has a wooden frame strung with metal wires. Sheets of pasta are pressed down onto the device, and then the wires are “strummed” so that the slivers of pasta fall through
Ciriole Thicker version of chitarra
Fusilli Lunghi Very long coiled rods (like a thin telephone cord) Long rifles
Pici Very thick, long, hand rolled

Ribbon Pasta

Name Description Translation
Bavette Narrower version of tagliatelle Little thread
Bavettine Narrower version of bavette
Fettuce Wider version of fettuccine Ribbons
Fettuccine Ribbon of pasta approximately 6.5 millimeters wide Little ribbons
Fettucelle Narrower version of fettuccine
Lagane Wide noodles
Lasagne Very wide noodles that often have fluted edges Cooking pot
Lasagnette Narrower version of lasagne
Lasagnotte Longer version of lasagna
Linguettine Narrower version of linguine
Linguine Flattened spaghetti Little tongues
Mafalde Short rectangular ribbons
Mafaldine Long ribbons with ruffled sides
Pappardelle Thick flat ribbon
Pillus Very thin ribbons
Pizzoccheri Ribbon pasta made from buckwheat
Reginette Wide ribbon with rippled edges Little queens
Sagnarelli Rectangular ribbons with fluted edges
Sciatelli of Sciatelli Home-made long spaghetti with a twisted long spiral
Stringozzi Similar to shoelaces From stringhe, meaning shoestrings
Tagliatelle Ribbon fairly thinner than fettucine From “tagliare” – to cut
Taglierini Thinner version of Tagliatelle
Trenette Thin ribbon ridged on one side
Tripoline Thick ribbon ridged on one side

Micro Pasta

Name Description Translation
Acini di Pepe Bead-like pasta Peppercorns
Anelli Small rings of pasta Rings
Anellini Smaller version of Anelli Little rings
Conchigliette Small shell shaped pasta Little shells
Corallini Small short tubes of pasta Little corals
Ditali Small short tubes Thimbles
Ditalini Smaller version of Ditali Little thimbles
Farfalline Small bow tie shaped pasta Either bowties or little butterflies
Fideos Short thin pasta
Filini Smaller version of Fideos Thin threads; (from filo, meaning thread)
Fregula Bead-like pasta from Sardinia
Funghini Small mushroom shaped pasta Little mushrooms
Ochi di Pernice Very small rings of pasta Partridge’s eyes
Orzo Rice shaped pasta, also “Risoni” Barley
Pastina Small spheres about the same size or smaller than Acini di Pepe Little pasta
Pearl Pasta Spheres slightly larger than Acini di Pepe
Quadrettini Small flat squares of pasta Little squares
Risi Smaller version of Orzo Little rice
Seme di Melone Small seed shaped pasta Melon seeds
Stelle Small star-shaped pasta Stars
Stelline Smaller version of Stelle Little stars
Stortini Smaller version of elbow macaroni Little crooked ones
Trachana Granular, irregular shaped pasta of Greek origin

Stuffed Pasta

Name Description Translation
Agnolotti Semi-circular pockets; can be stuffed with ricotta or mix of cheese and meats or pureed vegetables Lambs’ ears
Cannelloni Oven cooked, stuffed rolls of pasta Big tubes
Casoncelli A semi-circular stuffed pasta, specifically associated with the style alla bergamasca, which is stuffed with a mixture of bread crumbs, egg, cheese, ground beef, salami, raisins, Amaretti biscuits, pear, and garlic
Fagottini A ‘purse’ or bundle of pasta, made from a round of dough gathered into a ball-shaped bundle, often stuffed with ricotta and fresh pear Little purses
Mezzelune Semi-circular pockets; about 2.5 in. diameter Half-moons
Occhi di Lupo A large, penne shaped pasta that is stuffed Eyes of the Wolf
Panzerotti Pasta made from eggs cheese and flour
Pelmeni Meat-filled dumplings, usually served in broth
Pierogi Dumplings filled with meat, vegetables, cheese or fruit
Ravioli Square. About 3x3cm. Stuffed with cheese, ground meat, pureed vegetables, or mixtures thereof Possibly from rapa, “turnip”
Sacchettini Little sacks
Tortellini Ring-shaped. Stuffed with a mixture of meat and cheese
Tortelloni Larger version of Tortellini

 

Edwin Garrubbo

Edwin Garrubbo

Ed Garrubbo has been studying, cooking, searching for, and thinking about la cucina italiana for as long as he can remember. He cooks a wide range of Italian dishes, but loves his pasta most. He visits restaurants, cooking schools, markets, and food artisans across Italy, and wherever Italians practice their craft. He is a member of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, and is a citizen of both the United States and Italy.

Filed Under: Italian Food Guide Tagged With: Origins, P, Pasta

Comments

  1. ashok thakur says

    June 19, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    good knwlde about of pasta

    Reply
    • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

      June 26, 2012 at 11:53 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • Ralph Belias says

      February 10, 2015 at 12:25 pm

      I love pie

      Reply
      • Meow says

        June 18, 2017 at 4:55 pm

        I love dick

        Reply
  2. aime says

    June 29, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    Can you provide an updated list with photos for visual learners.

    Reply
    • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

      June 30, 2012 at 8:09 am

      Yes. Will try ASAP.

      Reply
  3. Isabel summers says

    October 8, 2012 at 10:34 am

    Add pictures (that are labeld)of diffent types of pasta 🙂

    Reply
  4. janice wilson says

    December 15, 2012 at 3:08 pm

    i have been trying to find linguine in out stores here , but cant , i love the linguine with pesto and tomato flavor .. where do i find it thank you

    Reply
    • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

      January 7, 2013 at 3:07 pm

      what city are you in? you can always gets the basics at amazon, i believe. thanks ed

      Reply
  5. Mel says

    January 8, 2013 at 1:19 pm

    This will help with my research

    Reply
  6. goasvi dhananjay keshav says

    February 16, 2013 at 1:41 am

    thank you its too much knowledge for me.

    Reply
  7. roshan salins says

    February 28, 2013 at 4:53 pm

    hey i wanna know pastas atleast 20 only with pictures which is commonly used around the world for hospitality …………send if it can be done …………on my mailing address

    Reply
  8. Iubna hayat says

    March 12, 2013 at 12:05 pm

    Hi, I live in south west London and would like to know where you can actually buy some of these less well known pasta shapes. I use one calles ditalini rigati to make soups but its rsrely available.
    thanks.

    Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    March 12, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    cool dude

    Reply
  10. Barbara says

    April 14, 2013 at 10:58 am

    Had fegottini, ” little purse”, in Monterossa, Cinque Terre, at XX Verdi, and was stuffed with puréed pear and cheese. Was Devine!

    Reply
  11. Anonymous says

    May 22, 2013 at 3:58 am

    thats so cool

    Reply
  12. Meera Jakatdar says

    June 14, 2013 at 2:29 am

    It’s amazing to know there are so many different types of pasta. Most people only know 5-6 varieties

    Reply
  13. Teresa Ellis says

    October 18, 2013 at 12:21 pm

    I would like to know where I can purchase the dumplings that Muller’s had, but I can no longer find them in the grocery store, will you let me know if you still have them and where I can purchase them.

    Reply
  14. Atiya says

    October 22, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    Add the pictures with the names please so one understand easily

    Reply
  15. Atiya says

    October 22, 2013 at 2:34 pm

    Can*

    Reply
  16. Anonymous says

    November 23, 2013 at 1:54 pm

    interesting facts, even for children.

    Reply
  17. Lisa says

    November 23, 2013 at 1:57 pm

    Wow!!!!!!!
    I never knew that there were more than 600 types of pasta.

    Reply
  18. chef kumar hukkeri says

    December 5, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    wow real fact,pasta good for health.

    Reply
  19. Nick says

    December 11, 2013 at 12:46 pm

    What about capeletti?

    Reply
    • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

      December 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

      yes. little hats, stuffed with cheese or meat. i should add them.

      Reply
  20. ami says

    April 18, 2014 at 9:31 am

    I think if the accompanied image would be great, thanks for info. I like 🙂

    Reply
  21. Mary says

    November 17, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    1) The word gnocco means dumpling.
    2) The word gnocchi is from the Italian word nocca or knuckle.

    Reply
    • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

      December 5, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      Well, half correct!
      gnocco is a dumpling, gnocchi is the plural.
      nocca is knuckle, nocche is the plural!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 18, 2014 at 3:35 am

        Ah Ha!…You have just settled a decades old argument between my husband and I! I grew up with chicken and dumplings, dumplings being bread cooked floating on top of the chicken soup! My husbands grandmother made chicken soup with what he insisted was dumplings! What he was calling dumplings are what I have always said is not because it is more like paste made with flour egg and milk, what I call(not to his face)pinch noodles because she just pinched off bits into the chicken soup. These pinch noodles are much like misshapen gnocchi!…so all these decade we were both right she just didn’t take the time to shape the “dumplings”….lol

        Thank you!

        Reply
        • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

          December 22, 2014 at 1:52 pm

          Happy to help!

          Reply
          • Namruth Kyatham says

            January 20, 2018 at 5:42 am

            Add the pic to it

  22. EatAllNite says

    July 13, 2015 at 1:55 am

    Hii!!
    Great Info And Expalin Very Well
    Thanks

    Reply
  23. guay joy says

    August 3, 2015 at 6:42 pm

    where did you refer the kind of pasta

    Reply
  24. C. Alexia Fazeli says

    February 28, 2016 at 5:59 pm

    This is such a great source of information. Thanks for posting 🙂

    Reply
  25. Taliiwo Tom says

    April 23, 2016 at 4:16 pm

    It’s such a good page for a chef like me to read.Continue to provide such information.

    Reply
  26. Connie says

    January 18, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    I am making a dish that combines long grain rice and vermicelli but I am having trouble finding vermicelli. What pasta can I substitute? The pasta is broken in pieces and browned with the rice in butter before adding chicken broth. Thanks for your help.

    Reply
    • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

      January 21, 2018 at 11:30 am

      Hi. Use Capellini (or angel hair) or if you can’t find them, use thin spaghetti! buon appetito!

      Reply
  27. Chuck Laratta 85yo says

    January 30, 2018 at 2:23 pm

    Where can I find/buy a pasta called Magarita it is a long flat pasta like linguine except it is twisted from end to end —it takes a large box due to the twist DeCecco used to sell it but Can no longer fied a place to obtain it chularnyc@aol.com

    Reply
    • Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

      February 3, 2018 at 11:10 am

      Hi have you tried eataly in nyc? or online? or Buonitalia in the NY Chelsea market? they both carry a wide variety.

      Reply
  28. Gigi says

    April 15, 2018 at 10:52 am

    I thought there had been a book with all the pasta shapes listed. Do you know of one such? Gigi

    Reply
  29. Edwin GarrubboEdwin Garrubbo says

    January 24, 2019 at 2:53 pm

    grazie!! ed

    Reply

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Pasta on Sunday is a tradition enjoyed by Italians around the world. In order to preserve this unifying and magical tradition, The Garrubbo Guide® is proud to publish our weekly feature Sunday Pasta®. In addition to the authentic pasta recipe, we provide historical background and our accompanying wine recommendation. Buon Appetito!
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