Lots of shapes for lots of sauces
Ever since Mandy and Kirsten have been traveling to Italy, we have been collecting Italian pasta names. Try working your way through this list - and if you see any we have missed, let us know!
Long pasta
This type of pasta is best for tomato sauces, herb based sauces, light cream sauces and meat sauce.
Cappelli d’angelo (angel hair) - very thin strands Barbina - thin strands often coiled into nests Bigoli - a whole wheat version of spaghetti Capellini - even thinner than angel hair Chitarra - similar to spaghetti, except square rather than round Ciriole - thicker version of Chitarra Fedelini - somewhat thicker than vermicelli Fusilli lunghi - very long fusilli Spaghetti - most common type of noodle Spaghettini - slightly thinner than spaghetti Spaghettoni - slightly thicker than spaghetti Vermicelli - somewhat thinner than spaghetti Vermicelloni - slightly thicker than vermicelli.
Ribboned Pasta
These types of pasta are good for thick, cheesy, and creamy sauces, like Alfredo.
Bavettine - narrower version of bavette Fettuce - wider version of fettuccine Fettuccine - ribbon of pasta approximately one centimeter wide Fettucelle - narrower version of fettuccine Lasagna - very wide noodles that often have ridged sides Lasagnette - narrower version of lasagna Lasagnotte - longer version of lasagna Linguettine - narrower version of linguine Linguine - flattened oval shaped spaghetti 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 Sagnarelli - rectangular ribbons with fluted edges Stringozzi - similar to shoelaces Tagliatelle - ribbon fairly thinner than fettuccine Taglierini - thinner version of Tagliatelle Trenette - thin ribbon ridged on one side Tripoline - thick ribbon ridged on one side.
Tube-type pasta
This pasta is good with big, chunky sauces with ingredients like sausage, peppers and onions. Tubular shapes compliment spicy sauces.
Bucatini - hollow spaghetti Calamarata - wide ring shaped pasta Calamaretti - smaller Calamarata Cannelloni - large stuffable tubes Cavatappi - ‘S’ shaped macaroni Cellentani - corkscrew shaped tube Chifferi - short and wide macaroni Elbow macaroni - most common type of pasta Elicoidali - slightly ribbed tube pasta Fagioloni - short narrow tube Garganelli - square egg noodle rolled into a tube Gomiti - wide ‘C’ shaped pasta - any narrow tube pasta Maccheroni - longer macaroni Maccheroncelli - hollow pencil shaped pasta Maltagliati - short wide pasta with diagonally cut ends Manicotti - large stuffable ridged tubes Mezzani - short curved tube Mezze Penne - short version of penne Mezzi Bombardoni - wide short tubes Mezzi Paccheri - shorter version of paccheri Mostaccioli - longer version of penne Paccheri - large tube Pasta al ceppo - shaped like a cinnamon stick Penne - medium length tubes with diagonally cut ends Penne rigate - penne with ridged sides Penne Zita - wider version of penne Pennette - short thin version of penne Pennoni - wider version of penne Perciatelli - thicker Bucatini Rigatoncini - smaller version of rigatoni Rigatoni - large and slightly curved tube Sagne Incannulate - long tubes of twisted ribbon Trenne - penne shaped as a triangle Trennette - smaller version of trenne Tortiglioni - narrower rigatoni Tuffoli - ridged rigatoni Ziti - long narrow hose like tubes Zitoni - wider version of Ziti
Special shapes
The different shapes of these pasta noodles capture bits of sauce in their curves and spaces.
Campanelle - small cones Casarecci - short lengths rolled into an ‘S’Cavatelli - sea shell shaped with rolled edges Conchiglie - sea shell shaped Conchiglioni - large stuffable sea shells shapes Creste di galli - short curved and ruffled Farfalle - bow tie or buttefly shaped Farfallone - larger bow ties Fiori - shaped like a snowflake Fusilli - short lengths of twisted pasta Fusilli Bucati - a more spring shaped variety Gemelli - two short stands of pasta twisted together Gigli - cone or flower shaped Gnocchetti - smaller version of Gnocchi Gramigna - short curled lengths of pasta Lumache - snail shaped Lumaconi - jumbo Lumache Maltagliati - flat roughly cut triangles Orecchiette - bowl or ear shaped pasta Pipe - larger versions of macaroni Quadrefiore - square with rippled edges Radiatori - shaped like radiators Ricciolini - short wide noodles with a 90 degree twist Rotelle - wagon wheel shaped pasta Rotini - pasta twisted into a spiral Spiralini - more tightly coiled fusilli Strozzapreti - rolled across their width Torchio - torch shaped Trofie - thin twisted pasta.
Pasta for soups
Usually firm and small in shape, these small pastas will hold up to being in liquid for a long period of time.
Acini di pepe- small spheres of pasta Alphabets - pasta shapped as letters of the alphabet Anelli - small rings of pasta Anellini - smaller version of anelli Conchigliette - small shell shapped pasta Corallini - small short tubes of pasta Couscous - the smallest of all pasta varieties Ditali - small short tubes Ditalini - smaller versions of ditali Farfalline - small bow tie shapped pasta Fideos - short thin noodles Filini - smaller version of fideos Funghini - small mushroom-shaped pasta Occhi di pernice - very small rings of pasta Orzo - small rice shaped pasta Pearl Pasta - spheres slightly larger than acini di pepe Quadrettini - small flat squares of pasta Risi - smaller version of orzo Seme di melone - small seed shaped pasta Stelle - small star shaped pasta Stelline - smaller version of stele Stortini - smaller version of elbow macaroni Tubetti - longer version of ditali Tubettini - smaller version tubetti
