Pasta, or pasta, as they are now called following the Italians all over the world, has long and everywhere become one of the most popular products.
There are dozens of types of pasta, many of which are only suitable for a specific sauce or dish.
Often in recipes there are unfamiliar names for pasta and you want to know what they really look like and what they are eaten with.
This is why we have selected and described the 30 most popular types of pasta.
If you come across an unfamiliar type of noodles or hollow pasta, look at our table; any pasta from the same category can replace it.
LONG STRAIGHT PASTA
| Name | Form | In what form is it used? | How to serve |
Capellini (Capellini) | Long, round and very thin. They are sometimes also called "Angel Hair". | Only consumed hot | With light sauces, broths, or simply mixed with olive oil and boiled vegetables |
Vermicelli (vermicelli) | Long, round, thinner than spaghetti. In Italian their name means "little worms". | Served hot, sometimes cold | With light sauces or broken and mixed with vegetable salads |
Linguine (linguine) | Long, flat and narrow, slightly longer than spaghetti. Their name is translated from Italian as “little tongues” | Hot, sometimes cold | Large enough to serve with thick sauces such as marinara sauce |
Spaghetti (spaghetti) | The most popular pasta in the world: long, round and of medium thickness. Their name translates as “small ropes”. | Only hot | With tomato sauces or in casseroles |
Fettuccine | Long, flat ribbons and wider than linguine, but can be substituted for linguine in all recipes. | Only hot | With thick sauces, especially good with creamy ones |
Lasagna (lasagna) | Long and very wide, can be with straight edges or curly. The casserole made with them is called exactly the same. | Only hot | They are placed in a mold, in layers, coating each layer with thick tomato or cream sauce, and baked |
CURLY AND TINDY PASTA
Rotini (spirals) | Very short coils that look like springs made from spaghetti | Hot or cold | With very thick chunky sauces or in pasta salads |
Fusille (fusilli) | Longer than rotini, also curled. In Italian their name means "little wheels". There are different types: short and thick, short and thin, long and thin | Hot or cold | So many uses - served with almost all sauces, in soups or in pasta salad |
Pappardelle (egg noodles) | Wide long noodles. One of the few traditional types of Tuscany. They can be bought fresh (then they are cooked for just a couple of minutes) or dry. | Hot | In baked dishes, with thick sauces |
Tagliatelle (tagliatelle - egg noodles) | Same width as fettuccine or linguine, but not as flat. Classic Emilia-Romagna pasta. | Hot | In casseroles, soups, stroganoff |
HOLLOW PASTA
Ditalini (ditalini) | Small, very short tubes, their name means “thimble” in Italian. | Hot or cold | In soups or pasta salads |
Elbow macaroni (horns) | Curved, hollow cones traditionally used to make macaroni cheese | Hot or cold | In baked dishes or in pasta salads |
Perciatelli (pechutelle - long macaroni) | Long, thin and straight tubes, thicker than spaghetti | Hot | Use them instead of spaghetti with ragu sauce, other meat sauces and baked eggplant |
Ziti (ziti) | Arched tubes, but wider and longer than elbow macaroni. There is also a short version called cut ziti. | Hot or cold | Baked, in pasta salads and with thick sauces |
Penne (penne) | Straight, medium-length tubes, often with lateral grooves. They are also sometimes called mostaccioli. Their diagonal cut resembles a fountain pen, which is why they got their name | Hot | In soups, baked, with any sauces |
Rigatoni (rigatoni) | Long, short tubes, wider than penne, but also grooved | Hot | With various sauces: thick, creamy sauces are well retained in the grooves on the sides |
Cannelloni (cannelloni) | Large, long tubes, like manicotti, but larger; translated from Italian - “large reed”. | Hot | They are stuffed, usually with meat fillings, and baked with sauce |
Manicotti (manicotti) | Longer and wider than penne, they can be grooved. Manicotti is also the name of the dish itself when this particular pasta is used, as in the case of lasagna | Hot | Served stuffed with meat or cheese fillings |
PASTA IN OTHER FORMS
Alphabets (alphabet) | In the shape of small letters of the alphabet, one of the most favorite children's pasta | Hot | In soups |
Anelli (anelli) | Small rings | Hot | In soups |
Farfalle (bows) | Square pieces of paste gathered in the center to form a bow; their name is translated from Italian as “butterflies” | Hot | In soups with cereals, for example, with buckwheat, and in other dishes |
Conchiglie (shells) | Shells with a long and narrow cavity. In Italian their name means "clam shell". Comes in different sizes. | Hot or cold | In soups, baked and in pasta salads |
| They look like ordinary shells (conchiglie), but are noticeably larger. They are served in different ways, very impressively. | Hot | They are stuffed (try, for example, a mixture of ricotta, pine nuts and spinach) | |
| Both in size and shape they resemble rice, translated from Italian as “pearl barley”. | Hot | As a side dish in soups and vegetable salads | |
| With grooves and grooves like a radiator | Hot or cold | With thick creamy sauces, in soups and salads, including fruit ones | |
| Shaped like wagon wheels | Hot | In soups, goulash, salads and thick sauces | |
Pasta colorata (colored pasta) | Many of the pastas listed above come in other bright colors. They are made with the addition of food coloring. Popular food additives include eggs (egg pasta or pasta all"uovo), spinach (green pasta or pasta verde), tomatoes, beets (purple pasta or pasta viola), carrots (red pasta or pasta rossa), winter squash (orange pasta or pasta arancione), squid ink (black pasta or pasta nera), truffles (truffle pasta or pasta al tartufo) and chili. | Hot or cold | Depends on the shape |
PASTA WITH FILLINGS
Agnolotti (angelotti) | Small, crescent-shaped, they, like dumplings, are stuffed with various fillings (meat, cottage cheese (ricotta), spinach, cheese) | Hot | With various sauces |
Gnocchi (gnocchi) | Translated from Italian as “little dumplings”, usually made from dough with cheese, semolina, potatoes or spinach | Hot | As a side dish and as a main dish, usually served with tomato sauces, but any other sauce will do. |
Tortellini (tortellini) | Small stuffed dumplings made from pasta dough, the corners of which are connected to form a ring or bud. You can buy them in different colors, depending on the filling. The filling can be beets, tomatoes, spinach or squid, which add color and flavor. | Hot | Boiled with a variety of thick sauces or simply served with a drizzle of olive oil, garlic, pepper, and Parmesan |
Ravioli (ravioli) | Square ravioli made from pasta dough are very similar to Russian dumplings with various fillings (either very finely ground or cut into small pieces). Their name translates as "little turnip" | Hot | Baked; simply boiled or in soup; they are served with various sauces |
Pasta is the basis of traditional Italian cuisine and one of the most popular dishes in the world. Pasta is made from unleavened dough with wheat flour, and it comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and names. The most daring experts claim that there are more than 600 types of pasta in the world.
In any case, it would be simply impossible to describe all its varieties in one article, so we decided to reduce the list to the 25 most important and popular ones, which you may not have heard of. Warning: Have a snack before viewing this post - these photos may leave your stomach begging for food.
1. Manicotti.
These are very large tubes, usually grooved, which are stuffed with a wide variety of fillings (seafood, meat, vegetables), and then baked, topped with traditional Italian white bechamel sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmesan. Despite its large size, manicotti is a fairly light (and tasty) dish.
2. Bucatini.
Bucatini is a thick, spaghetti-shaped pasta with a hole in the center. These 25-30 cm long tubes are usually boiled for 9 minutes and then served with butter sauces, pancetta (bacon) or guanciale, vegetables, cheese, eggs and anchovies or sardines.
3. Tagliatelle.
Tagliatelle are long, flat “ribbons” made from eggs. They have a spongy and coarse texture, making them ideal for Italian sausages made from beef, veal, pork or rabbit. Another popular version of tagliatelle is served with truffles, olives and vegetables.
4. Ravioli.
Traditionally, they are prepared at home. These are a kind of dumplings. They are usually square in shape, although round and semicircular ones are also found. The type of filling varies depending on the region. In Rome, for example, ravioli is stuffed with ricotta, spinach, nutmeg and black pepper. In Sardinia they are stuffed with ricotta and grated lemon rind.
5. Gemelli.
Translated from Italian, this name means “twins”. This is a rolled pasta that is usually served with light sauces (like pesto) that remain on the spirals. Gemelli are sometimes called “unicorn horns.” It is an ideal choice for salad or various types of tomato sauces.
6. Farfalle.
Farfalle translates to “butterflies” in Italian and is one of the most popular types of pasta. They can be of different sizes, but always have a clear butterfly shape. Although almost any sauce goes well with them, farfalle is best served with creamy and tomato based ones. Farfalle comes in a variety of varieties - regular, tomato, and with spinach. Usually different varieties are sold together in one package, resembling the color of the national flag of Italy.
7. Fettuccine.
This name translates as “little ribbons.” These are flat thick noodles made from eggs and flour. They are similar to tagliatelle, but a little wider. Particularly popular in Roman cuisine. Fettuccine is often eaten with beef or chicken stew. However, the most popular dish with this type of pasta is Fettuccine Alfredo, which consists of fettuccine, Parmesan and butter.
This type of pressed paste, with six "petals" surrounding the center, resembles a flower. Often used with salads, but also goes well with meat, fish or tomato-based sauces.
9. Cannelloni.
Translated as “big reed”. It is a cylindrical type of pasta that is usually served baked with filling and topped with sauce. Popular fillings include spinach and ricotta or chopped beef. Typically, tomato sauce (bottom) and bechamel (top) are used with this pasta.
10. Ditalini.
Ditalini resemble very short pasta in the shape of small tubes. This type of pasta is typical of Sicilian cuisine. They are usually a main ingredient in salads due to their small size, but they are also added to soups. In main dishes, ditalini is usually served with ricotta and broccoli.
11. Rotini.
Do not confuse them with the fusilli, which are very similar in appearance. Rotini is a type of pasta shaped like a spiral, or a corkscrew if you will. Due to their unique texture, rotini adds more flavor and flavor to a dish by absorbing more sauce. They are often served with pesto, carbonara or tomato-based sauces.
12. Linguine.
These are long, flat noodles, wider than spaghetti and about the same size as fettuccine. They first appeared in Genoa and are served with pesto or seafood. Linguine is typically available in both white flour and whole wheat varieties.
13. Conchiglie.
They are usually simply called "shells" because of their distinctive shape. Particularly popular in Britain. This type of paste comes in a variety of colors and is colored using natural dyes such as tomato extract, squid ink or spinach extract.
14. Radiators.
Radiators are small short pastas named after radiators. This unusual shape is meant to maximize surface area for better adhesion. This shape makes the paste great for thick sauces, but can also be found in casseroles, salads and soups.
This is a thick, long pasta that first appeared in the province of Siena in Tuscany. The dough is rolled into a thick flat sheet, cut into strips, and then rolled by hand into tiny long cylinders, slightly thinner than a regular pencil. Pichi is served with a variety of dishes, including garlic and tomato sauce, mushroom sauce, stews and various types of meat.
16. Garganelli.
This is a type of egg-based pasta that is famous for taking a very long time to cook. Garganelli is rolled into tubes resembling pene. This type of pasta is typical of Bolognese cuisine and is also often served with duck ragù.
17. Vermicelli.
Translated, the word “vermicelli” means “little worms.” This is a traditional type of long thin pasta, similar to spaghetti and well known to all our compatriots. Although it is one of the most traditional types of Italian pasta, some Asian countries have their own versions of this dish made from rice flour. Vermicelli goes great with seafood.
18. Cavatappi.
Cavatappi are wrapped spiral tubes that resemble rolled pasta. This is an ideal choice for a cold salad, in addition, this type of pasta goes well with both light and thick sauces.
19. Tortellini.
Tortellini first appeared in the Italian region of Emilia. These are ring-shaped pasta with filling inside. They are usually filled with minced meat (pork, prosciutto), cheese and vegetables (spinach), and served with beef or chicken broth. Tortellini is one of the most common types of pasta.
20. Pappardelle.
These are large and very wide pasta. When raw, they are 2-3 cm wide and may have grooved edges. Pappardelle comes from the Tuscany region and goes well with tomato and meat sauces, and is also served with mushrooms, Parmesan or ragu.
21. Fusilli Bucati.
As the name suggests, this pasta is a mixture of fusilli and bucatini pasta. From fusilli it gets its characteristic spiral shape, and from bucatini it gets its length and hollow center. Suitable for almost all types of sauces.
22. Lasagnette.
Of course, you know lasagna - one of the most popular types of pasta in the whole world, but few people know that there is a smaller version of this Italian dish called lasagnette. It can be served in two forms - layered on top of another with different ingredients in between (like regular lasagna) or simply placed on a plate with other ingredients.
23. Strignozzi.
Translated as “shoe laces.” It is a long, thin, spaghetti-like pasta typical of the Umbria region of Italy. The pasta is made by hand and is usually served with black truffles, meat stew, mushroom or tomato sauce, etc.
24. Risoni.
Also known as risi. It resembles rice in both shape and size. Due to its small size, it is usually served in mugs, but also pairs well with salads and stews. Comes in a wide variety of flavors and colors, such as spinach, peppers and sundried tomatoes.
25. Paccheri.
This type of pasta comes from Campania and Calabria. Paccheri are very large tubes. Usually smooth, but there is also a grooved version called paccheri millerigue. This type of pasta can be served with bolognese and other sauces or, due to its large size, stuffed with cheese, seafood or meat and baked.
Other ingredients are added, for example: dyes (tomato paste, spinach, cuttlefish ink and others), eggs.
Often the term "pasta" refers only to dried dough products. However, some dough products that are boiled are prepared not only from dry dough, but also from freshly prepared dough (for example: noodles, gnocchi, bishbarmak). There is no exact, unambiguous and generally accepted classification of dough products.
In Italian they call pasta paste(Italian Pasta), but in Russian this word has a different meaning. The Russian term “pasta” comes from the Greek word “makariya”, which means “a dish made from barley flour”, however this term is used in Russian for all pasta products in general.
Classification of Italian pasta 3
The raw materials used influence, in accordance with Russian standards, the division of pasta into groups A, B, C (depending on the type of wheat) and into the highest, first and second grades (depending on the type of flour):
Durum wheat varieties have higher gluten content and lower starch content than soft wheat varieties. Pasta made from them has a lower glycemic index.
In some countries (for example, Italy), pasta is allowed to be made only from durum wheat (similar to group A in Russia).
By method preparations a distinction is made between fresh, usually egg, and dry products.
By degree readiness pasta may vary depending on its type and local traditions. In Italy, the standard is to cook to al dente (“to the tooth”, that is, the very middle of the product remains slightly undercooked and hard. In some countries, including Russia, products prepared in this way may seem half-baked).
The largest and perhaps most common group of pasta products is solid(spaghetti) or tubular(pasta) products, at least 15 cm long, with a very small, usually 1-2 mm, diameter of the product (or the thickness of its walls, if tubular).
In Italy, different types of pasta have names corresponding to their shape and size.
The ending in the title indicates product size:
By form Pasta products are divided into five groups:
Classification of Italian pasta 4
Classification of Italian pasta 5
Classification of Italian pasta 7
Pasta is common all over the world and is the basis of many dishes. Widely used in Italian, East Asian and vegetarian cuisine, among others.
In accordance with Russian standards, 100 g of pasta (uncooked) should contain from 10.4 to 12.3 (in soy - 14.3) g of protein, from 1.1 to 2.1 (in dairy - 2, 9) g fat, from 64.5 to 71.5 g carbohydrates. Energy value - from 327 to 351 kcal.
In Italy, a plate of pasta (85 g is a portion per person) should contain approximately:
| Paste | |
|---|---|
| Types |
Alphabet (paste) · Anelli · Anellini · Acini di pepe · Agnolotti · Bavette · Bigoli · Bucatini · Vermicelli · Wolf Eyes (Occhi di Lupo) · Galushki · Garganelli · Dzitoni · Gemelli · Girandole · Campanella · Cannelloni · Capellini · Casonchelli · Cavatappi · Cavatelli · Capellini · Dumplings · Corzetti · Croxetti · |
Pasta We appreciate the attractive price that fits into the budget of both students and retirees. We love it for its simplicity of preparation, accessible to a child, a young housewife, and a confirmed bachelor. And we love them for their versatility; you can use them to prepare a variety of side dishes, delicious main courses, hearty soups, cottage cheese and meat casseroles, sweet desserts and many national dishes.
In large supermarkets, entire sections are dedicated to pasta. The range of these products is baffling. Let's try to figure out whether there are differences between the products and what exactly they are. Today we will look at all kinds of pasta.
The opinion of an expert from the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights, what is the difference between pasta and how to choose it:
Flour is the basis of any pasta. Most often, wheat flour is used for their production, but sometimes you can find products made from rye, rice or buckwheat flour. Pasta made from wheat flour is usually divided according to the types of raw materials from which they are made. For production, flour of the highest, first and second grade is used.
In addition to the variety, the product group is indicated on the packaging. Be sure to pay attention to this indicator. Pasta of group A is produced from durum wheat varieties, and B and C are made from soft varieties. The greatest value is products from durum wheat. They do not boil over, retain their shape and contain more nutrients.
Can you trust the manufacturers and everything that is written on the packaging? Learn to determine the truth:
Let's try to sort out the abundance of pasta that manufacturers pamper us with. In colloquial form, we often call all pasta “pasta,” but in reality this term usually refers to long tubes that are porous inside. All other products (or pasta, as they are called in their homeland) are included in other groups.
You can include in a separate group of figured products hollow figurines intended for stuffing. The idea of filling tubes and shells with minced meat came from Italy, which is why “pure-blooded Italians” represent this group: cannelloni, manicotti, conciglioni.
Produced especially for children curly pasta in the form of funny animals, birds, stars, flowers. Children are especially interested in colored products. To obtain them, manufacturers add food coloring to the dough.
Of course, these are not all types of pasta available in grocery departments. I hope that you will love pasta even more and will be more confident in picking up packs with unfamiliar names.
Pasta is usually made from dough mixed with wheat flour and water. However, sometimes rice flour, buckwheat or starch are used in their preparation. Typically, pasta refers to dried products that subsequently require cooking. It is not known exactly who first came up with the idea of drying the dough, thus preserving it for a long time. Various versions lead to Egypt, Greece, China, and some sources refer to Etruscan times, but the facts in their favor are not very convincing.
In order to classify varieties of pasta, there are standards in Russia. In accordance with them, based on the varieties of flour and wheat, pasta is divided into groups (A, B, C) and varieties (highest, first, second). Moreover, for group A, durum is used - durum wheat, and for the rest - soft. Such pasta has a lower glycemic index. For some countries, in particular Italy and, accordingly, Italian pasta, it is typical to use only durum wheat.
Pasta can be divided into tubular (pasta itself) and whole (spaghetti, fettuccine). Depending on the cooking method, you can distinguish between dry and fresh products (gnocchi, noodles and homemade pasta). The many shapes and sizes of pasta can be divided into five volumetric groups. These are long products, short ones, curly ones (shells, bows, horns), small ones (mainly for soups, for example, noodles) and pasta intended for baking.
The most famous long pasta is spaghetti. Their length is on average 25 cm, although initially they reached half a meter, and their thickness is about 2 mm (thinner ones are spaghettini, thicker ones are spaghettoni). Naples (Italy) is considered their homeland, and in the city of Pontedassio there is a museum dedicated to these “pieces of twine”, with which Antonio Viviani compared them when he gave them the name spaghetti. Interestingly, a special fork was invented for this type of pasta in 1700.
Long, thin, round-shaped pasta is called capellini. There are also more poetic names - “Hair of Venus” or “Hair of an Angel”. Another variety of thin pasta is vermicelli. Its name comes from the Italian word “verme,” which means “worm,” but vermicelli did not receive this name right away. In the 14th century, in different cities of Italy they were called differently: orati, minutelli, fermentini, pancardelle.
There are several types of pasta, which appear as thin flat strips, differing in recipe and width. Tagliatelle is about 5 mm wide, fettuccine is about 7 mm wide. There are also Linguine, Bucatini, Pappardelle (egg noodles), Bavette and Mafaldine. 
Rotini looks like spaghetti spirals. Longer, but just like rotini. twisted into spirals - fusille. Cellentani are also spiral-shaped tubes. Maccheroni are slightly bent small tubes.
Penne pasta comes in both smooth and ribbed varieties. Externally they look like a hollow tube with oblique cuts. Pipe rigate are tubes twisted in a semicircle. Their shape allows liquid to be retained inside, so they are used in combination with a wide variety of sauces. 
Cannelloni, translated from Italian, means “large reed” and are large, long tubes. Pasta dishes are sometimes named after the type of pasta used in it. For example, manicotti is similar to cannelloni, but smaller. The dish prepared from this pasta has its own name - manicotti. The same can be said about a dish called lasagna, which is based on baking sheets.
For soups, small pasta is used, for example, Anelli (rings), Stelline (stars), Filini (short threads). Children's favorite letters are letters of the alphabet. Sometimes only by preparing soup with letters can you “persuad” a child to eat it. 
This group of pasta includes all products that have interesting shapes, which is why they received beautiful names. Caserecce are pasta horns, farfalle are butterflies, farfallini are small butterflies, and campanelle are bells.
Pasta shells or conchiglie are suitable for stuffing. The same shells, but of a smaller size, will be called concigliette, and larger ones - conciglione. The frilled pasta shells are called gnocchi.
Sophia Loren is a famous pasta fan
Sophia Loren was 72 years old when she risked posing nude for the Pirelli calendar, although she is famous as a pasta fan. However, among Russian women it is still believed that pasta makes you fat. In fact, their benefits or harm depend on how you choose pasta. Here are some rules.
When choosing Russian pasta, you need to make sure that it is made in accordance with GOST and belongs to group A. The composition indicated on the package must contain water and flour. You shouldn’t pay attention to what is sold “by weight”. The right pasta can only be found in packages.
Externally, the pasta should be smooth and have a moderate golden color. The package should not contain “flour” or fragments of pasta. They should bend easily and break with difficulty. When cooked, high-quality pasta is distinguished by the absence of coloration of water and change in shape. They don't stick together.
Pasta is a wonderful product: tasty, inexpensive, easy and quick to prepare. It’s no wonder that pasta dishes are so popular among people in all countries. In Japan, long pasta always accompanies the New Year, being a symbol of longevity.
