Farfalle: born from traditional homemade pasta from Emilia

Pasta Shapes

Pasta comes in hundreds of different shapes and sizes, from simple, string-like shapes such as spaghetti to short tubes like penne and stuffed pastas such as tortellini.

Below is a guide to some of the more common styles, produced with the help of pasta producer Barilla Foodservice UK.

Short cuts

Penne Lisce
Originating in Naples, penne are one of the most famous varieties of pasta. Their pointed shape is reminiscent of the old pen nibs (hence the name penne, meaning feather or pen). The smooth surface of penne lisce brings out the best in any sauce, particularly fresh and light ones. Good with tomato and basil sauces, vegetable sauces or with anchovies, onions and small tomatoes. For more intense flavours, try a sauce with veal sausage, rosemary, oregano and sage.

Farfalle
Born from traditional homemade pasta made in the Emilia Romagna region, where farfalle (butterflies) were made by pinching together the central part of a square piece of pasta with a pinch. Good with light sauces with vegetables and fish. Try with béchamel sauce, tomatoes and butter.

Pipe Rigate
Some believe they belong to Roman traditional cuisine, and some trace them back to the traditions of north-central Italy. Their curled shape, with openings at both ends, is designed to retain any type of sauce, later releasing it onto the palate, making them suited to lighter sauces. Suggested sauces: tomato, olives and virgin olive oil; vegetable and cheese; mushrooms, sausage and hot peppers.

Tortiglioni
One of the most popular pasta shapes, tortiglioni originated in Naples. Their shape is characterised by a deep lines on the surface and a large internal cavity, designed to hold the sauce. Loves thick and full-bodied sauces, made either with meat or with cream and mushrooms. Also good with vegetable sauces. Suggestion: serve with olives, bacon and bell peppers, or a sauce featuring radicchio and sausage.

Penne Rigate
Penne were born in northern Italy, but popularised by the Neapolitans. Characterized by their pointed ends reminiscent of old-style pen nibs, penne rigate are are slender and thin, with an oblique cut at the end. The deep lines on the surface are designed to retain the sauce. Suited to all types of sauce, from all'arrabbiata to Bolognese, from mushroom-and-bacon to four-cheeses.

Sedani Rigati
A smooth version of this pasta variety was originally popular in the Naples area where they were known as elephant's tusks because of their curved shape. The later addition of thin grooves, similar to those found on celery, probably originated in Tuscany. That is when they started to be called sedani (celery). Their short structure and slightly curved shape with thin grooves are designed to retain even the most delicate sauces. Can be paired successfully with anything from fresh vegetable sauces to cream and cheese-based combinations. Suggestion: ricotta cheese and basil sauce.

Fusilli
The first fusillo shape appeared in southern Italy, and was born from the idea of rolling spaghetti around a knitting needle. Extremely versatile shape, perfect with rich sauces made with meat or ricotta cheese, and also in fresh pasta salads, or with asparagus and ham.

Rigatoni
Rigatoni were born in Rome. The tube-shaped pasta is characterized by its large diameter, a large opening and deep grooves on the outer surface, allowing it to retain sauces on the entire surface, both inner and outer. Traditionally combined with meat sauces, rigatoni are ideal for sumptuous recipes such as the classic pasta al forno, with meat sauce and béchamel. Suggestion: rigatoni with bell peppers, courgette, aubergine, small tomatoes and pecorino cheese.

Pennette Rigate
Pennette rigate are a reduced version of penne, and like penne they originated in northern Italy and are cut at an angle like old-style pen nibs. With their thin surface grooves they combine well with any type of sauce. Suggestion: try them with a spicy sauce made of bell peppers, dairy cream and mustard, enlivened by a touch of vodka.

Pipette Rigate
The smallest of the "pipe" family, pipette rigate have a curved, light shape, with thin grooves on the entire surface to retain sauces. Great with a simple tomato sauce as well as with creamy cheese sauces. Try them with a fresh salsa verde and thin slices of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Long cuts

Spaghetti
Spaghetti were born in southern Italy, its name coming from the word "spago", a thin string. Extremely versatile. A traditional Italian recipe is spaghetti alla puttanesca, with black olives, capers, anchovies and tomato. Suggestions: a Mediterranean sauce made with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, oregano and hot red peppers; or with tomatoes and gorgonzola.

Spaghettini
A thinner version of spaghetti, spaghettini traditionally call for sauces with oil, to prevent their delicate and slender shape becoming too bulky. Combine well with the spicy sauces of southern Italy, and with seafood. Suggestion: combine with ham, asparagus and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bavette
Originating in Genoa, bavette combine well with vegetable and fish sauces, as well as traditional Mediterranean sauces. They have a flat section and a slightly convex shape that makes them one of the longer shapes of pasta made with durum-wheat semolina. Great with the traditional Pesto alla Genovese, or with a sauce made of spinach, tomatoes and mussels, and fresh garlic.

Bucatini
Bucatini were created in central Italy, but Rome is where they became synonymous with Italian cuisine. They have a long structure like spaghetti, but with a central hole. Combine well with Amatriciana sauce (tomato, bacon and red hot peppers), and are great with tomato, vegetable or cheese sauces.

Spaghettoni
Spaghettoni have the traditional long shape of spaghetti but with a wide diameter designed to give a full taste to each sauce. Perfect to enhance light sauces, such as those made with fish, or those with strong and spicy fragrances with garlic and hot red peppers.

Capellini
Capellini are originally from north-central Italy and the name is the Italian diminutive of "delicate hair". They are also sometimes known as Capelli d'Angelo. Their long, slender threads prefer light sauces that do not season too heavily. Try them with a very simple sauce such as fresh tomatoes, oil and basil.

Other pasta varieties

Cannelloni
Traditionally, cannelloni were made from pasta prepared with water, flour and salt, cut into large rectangles that were rolled, stuffed and baked in the oven. The pasta's generous consistency and the large hollow space inside makes it perfect for the richest and most highly-flavoured sauces in Italian traditional cooking. Try it with a full-bodied stuffing made with veal, ham and fontina cheese.

Lasagne
The recipe for lasagne comes from north-central Italy, in particular from the Emilia region, where this authentic egg pasta was born. The long rectangles of rough and porous layers of pasta are ideally suited to the most highly-flavoured sauces of Italian traditional cooking. Try serving with gorgonzola cheese, broccoli and nuts or in with saffron and seasonal vegetables.

Tagliatelle
Legend has it that, during the Renaissance period, a talented court chef was inspired by a noblewoman's hairstyle and dedicated this new dish to her on the occasion of her wedding. These thin strips of pasta have a rough, porous surface and are usually accompanied by traditional meat or light fish sauces. Try them with a sauce made with shrimps and zucchini (courgette) flowers.

Tortellini
Tortellini is a ring-shaped pasta, typically stuffed with a mixture of meat and parmesan cheese, and traditionally served in a broth.

Tortelloni
A larger version of tortellini, usually stuffed with ricotta cheese and leaf vegetables such as spinach. Tortelloni are usually served either with a ragù or with melted butter and sage leaves.

Produced with the help of pasta producer Barilla Foodservice UK

Images courtesy of Barilla

For more information on pasta and its varieties, see Wikipedia