Pasta is one of the most popular foods in Italian cuisine. There are hundreds of different shapes and varieties of pasta, but they can be grouped into four main types: long shapes, short shapes, sheets, and stuffed pastas. Each type is suited for different types of sauces and ingredients. Knowing the main pasta types can help you pick the right pasta shape for your desired pasta dish.
Long Shapes
Long shapes, also called strand pasta, are the most well-known pasta varieties. The long thin strands are perfect for capturing chunky sauces and allowing flavors to coat each strand. Some common long pasta shapes are:
- Spaghetti – Thin round strands, usually about 1/4 inch wide
- Linguine – Flattened spaghetti-like strands, around 1/8 inch wide
- Bucatini – Thin spaghetti-like tubes
- Vermicelli – Very thin spaghetti
- Fettuccine – Wide, flat ribbons around 1/4 inch wide
- Tagliatelle – Long flat noodles, slightly thinner than fettuccine
Long pastas like spaghetti and linguine are perfect with smooth, light tomato or cream sauces. The long thin strands soak up flavors wonderfully. Thicker sauces with chunks of vegetables, meat, or seafood can cling nicely to wider long pastas like fettuccine or tagliatelle.
Short Shapes
Short pasta shapes encompass any small, cut pasta that is about an inch or two long. They hold onto chunkier sauces and hearty ingredients nicely. Some common short shape pastas are:
- Penne – Short tubes with angles at the ends, around 3/4 inch long
- Rigatoni – Wide tubes with ridges, 1 to 1-1/2 inches long
- Ziti – Long thin tubes around 2 inches long
- Farfalle – Bow tie or butterfly shaped
- Rotini – Spirals shaped like corkscrews
- Wagon wheels – Large pasta circles with spokes
- Conchiglie – Seashell shaped
- Orecchiette – Disc or ear shaped
The grooves and holes in short pasta shapes are perfect for trapping chunky sauces. Short tubes like penne and rigatoni pair nicely with meat ragu or thick vegetable sauces. Interesting shapes like farfalle, rotini, and orecchiette add visual appeal as well.
Sheets
Sheet pastas are flat, wide noodles that are often layered or stuffed. Some common sheet pasta shapes are:
- Lasagna sheets – Wide flat noodles around 2 to 3 inches wide
- Cannelloni – Large cylinders or tubes made from rolled lasagna sheets
- Manicotti – Ridged pasta tubes made from thick crepe-like sheets
The best use for sheet pastas like lasagna and cannelloni is layered or stuffed dishes. The flat sheets or tubes create a nice surface for filling or topping with sauce and other ingredients before baking. Some traditional Italian dishes featuring sheet pasta include lasagna, cannelloni, manicotti, and baked ziti.
Stuffed Pastas
Stuffed pastas consist of shapes made with a filling sealed inside. The filling is visible when you cut into the pasta. Some common stuffed pasta shapes are:
- Ravioli – Small square pillows stuffed with fillings like cheese, meat, or vegetables
- Tortellini – Ring or navel shaped stuffed with meat or cheese
- Cappelletti – Literally “little hats” folded into shape with stuffing inside
- Agnolotti – Small half-moon or crescent shaped pillows
Stuffed pastas make a rich, flavorful appetizer or meal. The fillings provide a delicious surprise component that pairs nicely with a sauce on the outside. Common stuffed pasta fillings are ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, minced meats, mushrooms, and spinach. Hearty tomato sauce or creamy alfredo sauce complement stuffed pastas wonderfully.
Choosing the Right Pasta Shape
With hundreds of pasta varieties, it can be difficult to know which shape best suits your desired dish. Here are some tips for matching pasta shapes with sauces and ingredients:
- Long strands like spaghetti or linguine: Best with smooth, light sauces like tomato, olive oil, wine, or cream sauces.
- Short tubes like penne or rigatoni: Excellent with chunkier sauces, ground meat sauces, or thick vegetable sauces.
- Sheets like lasagna or cannelloni: Perfect for layered bakes or casseroles with fillings and sauce.
- Stuffed pastas like ravioli or tortellini: Serve with lighter sauces to let the flavorful fillings shine through.
- Pair thicker, heavier sauces with thicker pasta shapes to cling together nicely.
- Match more delicate ingredients like seafood or eggs with thinner, lighter pasta shapes.
- Consider how the pasta shape will capture, integrate, or accent the other ingredients.
The above guidelines can help you select an ideal pasta variety to complement your sauce, ingredients, and desired dish. But feel free to experiment – the possibilities with pasta shapes are endless!
Pasta Cooking Methods
To achieve properly cooked al dente pasta with the perfect texture, follow these tips for boiling and baking pasta:
- Use plenty of water – Pasta should have lots of room to move freely as it cooks.
- Salt the boiling water – Add a few tablespoons of salt to season the pasta as it cooks.
- Stir frequently – Gently stir the pasta to prevent sticking, especially during the first 1-2 minutes.
- Follow package cook times – Cooking times vary for different pasta shapes and thicknesses.
- Save pasta water – The starchy water is useful for thinning and seasoning sauces.
- Do not rinse pasta – Rinsing removes starch needed to bind with sauces.
- For baked dishes – Undercook the pasta slightly before assembling and baking.
Test a piece of pasta 1-2 minutes before the recommended cook time for your ideal firmness. Perfectly cooked pasta should be tender but still have a little “bite” or resistance when bitten. Follow these tips for pasta success!
Four Iconic Italian Pasta Dishes
Now that you know the main pasta types and how to cook them properly, here are four classic Italian pasta dishes featuring various shapes:
Spaghetti Bolognese
This meaty tomato ragu pairs wonderfully with long thin spaghetti, allowing the noodles to soak up the rich sauce. The dish originated in Bologna, Italy.
Lasagna
Flat lasagna noodles layered with meat ragu, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan create the ultimate comfort food casserole. Recipes vary by region in Italy.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Silky egg, Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and pork create a creamy sauce that coats each strand of spaghetti in this Roman specialty.
Tortellini with Sage and Butter
This classic Emilia-Romagna dish features pasta stuffed with meat or cheese drenched in melted butter and fresh sage. The combination is simple but heavenly.
From long strands to stuffed shapes, the possibilities are endless with Italian pasta. Now that you know the main types and classic dishes, you can start experimenting with your own pasta creations!
Conclusion
Italian pasta comes in four main types – long shapes, short shapes, sheets, and stuffed. Pairing the right pasta variety with your desired sauce or ingredients is key to creating the perfect pasta dish. Long, thin strands like spaghetti are great with light sauces, while short shapes like penne hold onto chunkier sauces better. Lasagna sheets and cannelloni tubes work well in layered bakes, and stuffed pastas like ravioli and tortellini make flavorful appetizers. Cook pasta al dente with plenty of salted water, and don’t rinse for the best texture and flavor. With so many iconic dishes from Bolognese to carbonara, the possibilities with Italian pasta are endless!