The Many Italian Types Of Pasta

Rosie

Rosie

Community Member
Apr 6, 2013
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Italy
I know Italians are famous for their pasta but I would have never thought there were so many types of pasta out there!
Before I came to Italy I knew of the existence of spaghetti and short pasta (like fusilli and gomiti, for instance).

Wrong :P
There are many more types of pasta I have discovered lately, here are some examples:

- Spaghetti - they don't need any presentation, they're spaghetti
- Spaghettoni - extra long and extra thick spaghetti
- Spaghettini - thin spaghetti
- Capellini - the thinnest spaghetti of all
- Fusilli - well, no introduction needed here either
- Fettuccine - pasta in the shape of a ribbon
- Lasagne - wide noodles used for lasagna, obviously
- Linguine - spaghetti that are more flat than usual
- Tagliatelle - they are a bit smaller than the fettuccine
- Cannelloni - cylindrical (tube) pasta
- Ditalini - short ube like pasta, shorter than the cannelloni
- Gomiti - in translation, elbows, they look like small bent tubes
- Mostaccioli - they look like the "penne"
- Penne - tube like spaghetti cut diagonally at both ends
- Penne rigate - they're like penne, but with ridged sides
- Conchiglie - seashel like pasta
- Conchiglioni - the are like the conchiglie, but a lot bigger
- Farfalle - they look like a butterfly or like a bow tie

And there are MANY other types of pasta.
How many have you tried so far? Do you have a favorite?
 
It's amazing to think of how many different types of pasta there actually are

I much prefer Pasta fresca (Fresh Pasta) to Pasta Secca (Dried Pasta) but it all depends on the dish.

A few more are:
Orecchiette - Small ear shaped
Stelline - very small stars
Tortellini - ring shape filled with meat, cheese, etc

I think the most popular in our household are: Spaghetti, Penne rigate or mezza Penne, Lasagne, Orecchiette, Tortellini and Stelline.
 
Oh, I forgot about the tortellini, I had them yesterday :)

I tried making tortellini at home once, I made the dough and everything and made the stuffing too, I used mushrooms and some other ingredients I can't remember right now but the idea is they were going to be filled with mushroom stuffing.

I of course didn't make sure they were properly closed so almost all my tortellini opened up while they were boiling. Oh well, you live and learn. I, for instance, have learned that it's better to just buy them at the supermarket!
 
I had some fresh egg tortellini for dinner last night and it was delicious, by far my favorite type of pasta, though my husband would eat any type at all, every evening, if I allowed it! It was stuffed with ham and cheese. :D
 
Call me stupid if you like, but I've never quite understood why each shape has to have its own name? It's all pasta? I don't really have a favorite, but we do tend to buy conchiglie or penne, not for any particular reason just out of habit I guess.
 
Lolabelle said:
Call me stupid if you like, but I've never quite understood why each shape has to have its own name? It's all pasta? I don't really have a favorite, but we do tend to buy conchiglie or penne, not for any particular reason just out of habit I guess.
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You have a point!
There are too many types of pasta, each with a different name, each name fancier than the next one, when in fact it's just... pasta!

I usually buy 2 types of pasta (the ones that are in my cupboard at all times): gomiti and penne.
The gomiti - because they remind me of my childhood. My mom used to cook them quite often and she's serve them with salted cheese and sour cream.
The penne - because they are usually on sale.

I don't even remember trying other types of pasta, except for the farfalle but they take too much time to boil and I don't really want to risk eating hard pasta!
 
I have tried many types of pasta. I always buy a new kind every time I go to the store. I have to admit though most of our stores don't have near as many as the ones you have listed. My favorites are the wagon wheels and farfalle. My kids love the bow ties too!
 
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