Since we’ve touched on a recipe with pappardelle, let’s get to know the types of pasta better so it’s easier to navigate recipes and understand the original purpose of each pasta.
Pasta is pure joy, and it should be prepared with soul. I strongly recommend using products typical of Italy — ingredients that naturally grow there and are traditionally used by Italians. It’s also important to use pasta made from durum wheat. That way, it won’t be sticky and bland, but will have true character!
The market offers a wide variety of pasta, some more common, others specific to certain regions. Let’s review the most popular types and try to understand them.
Tagliatelle Pasta
The history of tagliatelle dates back to the 15th century, when a court chef was inspired by the hairstyle of Lucrezia, the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI, and created Tagliolini pasta with sauce for her wedding. Over the years, tagliatelle became popular among the poorest in Emilia-Romagna. It consists of flat, long ribbons often served with various sauces, most famously Bolognese meat sauce.
Spaghetti Pasta
Originating from Genoa, spaghetti was already consumed in the 13th century. This is confirmed by a document from February 4, 1279, mentioning dough products called "macaronis." Spaghetti has a round cross-section, approximately 2 mm in diameter and over 15 cm in length, often served with tomato sauce.
Bucatini Pasta
"Thick spaghetti" — similarly long, but with thick walls and a hollow center. Its name comes from the Italian word "bucati," meaning pierced.
Lasagna Pasta
The first lasagna recipe dates to the 15th century in Emilia-Romagna, though Quintus Horatius Flaccus described something called Laganum as early as 35 BCE. Modern lasagna is made from six layers of thin dough.
Cannelloni Pasta
Cannelloni is made from the same dough as lasagna but shaped into tubes 2-3 cm in diameter and 10 cm long, often filled and baked.
Conchiglie Pasta
Shaped pasta resembling shells.
Farfalle Pasta
Shaped like butterflies, often used in cold dishes, perfect for summer.
Fusilli Pasta
Spiral-shaped pasta that holds more sauce and seasoning within its curls.
Gnocchi Pasta
Small Italian dumplings, often made from potatoes and semolina.
Tortiglioni Pasta
Tube-shaped pasta about 1 cm in diameter and 5 cm long, typically served with sauces.
Penne Pasta
Short pasta, similar to tortiglioni but smaller (up to 4 cm). Always cut diagonally, hence the name.
Stelline Pasta
Small, star-shaped pasta often added to soups.
These are the main types of pasta. Of course, there are many more, but understanding these will allow you to prepare a wide variety of dishes with true Italian spirit. And recipes won’t keep you waiting long:)
