How many different types of pasta are there in Italy? This is one of the foods that represent Italy throughout the world and Italians are very demanding and imaginative when they have to choose which type to eat. We get bored and don’t want to always eat the same pasta shape and we are very experienced in pairing any type of pasta with a sauce. Some examples are spaghetti with clam sauce, and pipettes with pea sauce because we like peas to slip into pasta. Or the traditional recipe for bucatini all’amatriciana. You can evaluate the quality of a restaurant also from the ability of a cook to combine the pasta shape with the right sauce.
If you read this article, you’ll understand how to recognize a good restaurant where to eat Italian pasta during your travels in Italy. Do you want to know how to cook pasta at home respecting our tradition? I will also give you some advice on cooking handmade or dry pasta.
The different types of pasta: dry, handmade, shape, surface, and grain.
Pasta is mainly divided into short or long and then into dry pasta, fresh pasta, and filled pasta.
Dry pasta is the type of pasta still most consumed in Italy and in the world, even if its production, which until a few years ago constituted 80% of all types of pasta, in recent years is gradually decreasing. Meanwhile, the production of fresh handmade pasta is growing a little.
Then we distinguish the durum wheat semolina pasta and the whole durum wheat semolina pasta. As for the surface of the dough, the rough or striped one is distinguished from the smooth one.
Types of long pasta
The main shapes of long Italian pasta are:
- spaghetti,
- linguine,
- vermicelli,
- fettuccine,
- reginette or mafaldine,
- bucatini.
Spaghetti
There are at least 3 different types of spaghetti depending on the diameter, namely noodles, classic spaghetti, and large spaghetti. To these are added the capellini, even thinner than the noodles and the square spaghetti also called “alla chitarra”, which have a square rather than a round shape. In some regions of Southern Italy, spaghetti are called macaroni. But be careful because in Northern Italy the term “macaroni” instead refers to the shape of pasta officially called rigatoni. Spaghetti are 10 inches long, have a smooth surface, and go well with many types of sauces and condiments.
Linguine
Not everyone loves linguine as they have a slightly slimy consistency in the mouth, and therefore must be combined with a sauce that can degrease them. They go well with grated lemon peel, or with breadcrumbs or chopped walnuts or pistachios. They are very similar to spaghetti, they have the same length of 10 inches but instead of having the cylindrical shape they have a flattened section. In Genoa, the homeland that gave birth to linguine, they are served with pesto, which has that roughness that counterbalances the slipperiness of linguine.
Vermicelli
They have a larger diameter than spaghetti, just over 0,07 inches. They are suitable for very tasty and full-bodied sauces, they absorb the sauce more and keep it cooked well. The first time that vermicelli appeared in a cookbook dates back to the 13th century, in Naples, where they were called “vermiculi”.
Fettuccine
Fettuccine is the dry version of fresh tagliatelle pasta. They are flattened and shorter than tagliatelle, they can also be homemade with eggs and flour, like a classic fresh pasta. They are also prepared in the “green” version with spinach. Fettuccine are typical of the cuisine of Lazio and Tuscany Italian regions. The most famous recipes are:
- fettuccine alla papalina, with onions, ham, cream, and parmesan,
- fettuccine Alfredo, simply with butter and Parmesan.
Reginette or Mafaldine
Reginette is a type of pasta typical of Campania and the name is dedicated to Queen Mafalda of Savoy. They are a kind of fettuccine with knurled edges that recall the shape of the royal crown. Often this type of pasta is prepared with tuna sauce and vegetable sauces.
Bucatini
Bucatini pasta resembles spaghettoni with a small central hole, known throughout Italy and the world for being paired with amatriciana sauce. Bucatini cook quickly as the water passes through the central hole. In the Italian region of Lazio, they are used to prepare different types of pasta such as the famous cacio e pepe and carbonara.
Types of short pasta
The main shapes of short Italian pasta are:
- penne (pens),
- rigatoni and tortiglioni,
- sedanini,
- gramigna,
- conchiglioni,
- farfalle (butterflies),
- paccheri, half paccheri and calamarata.
Penne
Penne are smooth, striped, and you can also find half penne (smaller). They adapt to many condiments and have become famous in particular with the Arrabbiata sauce, a typical recipe from Lazio.
Rigatoni and tortiglioni
Rigatoni is a pasta shape of about 1,8 inches in length and 0,4 inchs in diameter, with holes in the center, as are tortiglioni. The difference between the two formats is that:
- rigatoni are linear and straight,
- tortiglioni have a slightly arched shape.
Both are striped and this feature makes them very suitable for sauces.
Sedanini
Sedanini are small striped rigatoni and hold the sauce well. They are 1,5 inches long and 0,2 inches in diameter. They are also used to create baked pasta timbales, soups, and broths.
Gramigna
Gramigna is a type of pasta typical of Emilia Romagna, often also called “straw and hay” due to the fact that it has two colors, yellow for the classic one of durum wheat semolina and green for the one that also contains spinach in the dough. The typical recipe for gramigna is with sausage ragù.
Fusilli
Fusilli, in some areas also called elica, are a twisted pasta shape similar to vines. In the past, this type of handmade pasta was made by twisting the dough around an iron wire. In some areas of Campania such as Gragnano and in Molise, they are still made in this way.
Conchiglioni
Conchiglioni resembles shells and is a type of pasta that collects sauce and seasonings well. Conchiglioni are also suitable for being cooked stuffed, for example, stuffed with ricotta and spinach, and then baked in the oven.
Farfalle
Farfalle are about 1,2 inches long and go well with any seasoning, even summer pasta salads.
Paccheri
Paccheri are like big rigatoni, smooth and not striped. They have a rough and porous texture that absorbs the seasoning very well. They come from Campania region where they are used in many first courses. The name derives from the ancient Greek and literally means “all hand”, referred to the fact that this format is very large, almost like a hand. Others argue that the name pacchero means “slap”.
There are also two other formats deriving from paccheri: the half paccheri, half the size of paccheri, and the calamarata, half the size of half paccheri.
Types of “pastina”
The pastina includes the different types of pasta of smaller size suitable for preparing broths and soups. The main ones are:
- rings,
- stars,
- shells,
- tubes,
- half tubes,
- fingering,
- paddy rice,
- butterflies.
How to cook pasta? Here is the guide for perfect cooking
If you like to cook traditional Italian dishes at home and have wondered how to cook pasta without risking overcooking it or eliminating its nutritional properties, follow some practical tips.
The ratio between water and pasta should be 10: 1, i.e. for every pound of pasta you should use 0,2 gal of water. Another important tip is not to fill the pot with water to the edge. To prevent the liquid from escaping during cooking, fill it with water up to 2/3 of the capacity. Consequently, be careful which pot to choose.
The pot should be covered with the lid to boil the water quickly and the coarse salt should be added only at the moment of boiling. After throwing the pasta into the water, always keep the pot uncovered.
The recommended dose of salt is 0,015 lb per 0,220 lb of pasta. However, it’s good to know that the longer the pasta has to cook, the less salt you should use.
During cooking, the water must not lose its boil and the flame must remain under the bottom of the pot and not rise to the edges.
The pasta should be stirred often during cooking to prevent it from sticking.
Drain the pasta using a slotted spoon and pour it directly into the sauce.
How to cook fresh handmade pasta
Fresh pasta cooks faster than dry pasta and as regards some types of pasta such as ravioli or gnocchi, we consider them cooked when they come to the surface. Other types of handmade pasta float back to the surface of the water much earlier than their real cooking point. This depends on the flour so it is necessary to taste them to understand when they are cooked.
Fresh pasta has a very fast cooking time ranging from 2 to 3 minutes depending on:
- the size of the various formats,
- the thickness of the dough,
- the quality of the grain.
While the handmade pasta is cooking, it must be turned with a wooden ladle to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Homemade pasta usually has a much more “wrinkled” surface than dry and collects the sauce better.
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