Italian pasta types: shapes and recipes - Italia.it (2024)

FAQs

What are the different types of pasta in Italy? ›

1. Barilla. Barilla is the number-one most-chosen pasta brand in Italy, and the fourth most-chosen brand in Italy overall (behind Mulino Bianco, Kinder and Coca-Cola), with a CRP score of 176 – a slight decline, year on year.

Spaghetti. SHAPE: Long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta. It's the most popular in the U.S. and the best-known pasta shape. SERVED: Spaghetti has a lot of versatility and mixes with a variety of sauces.

Ravioli. Possibly the most recognisable filled pasta type, ravioli are named after the Italian term 'riavvolgere' meaning “to wrap.” Ravioli have been a staple of Italian cuisine since the 14th century.

The earliest pasta shape was a simple sheet, which was treated more like bread dough. It probably didn't have the toothsome quality – known as “al dente” – associated with Italian pasta today, and would have been similar to unleavened matzo bread with sauce on it.

Cavatappi is macaroni formed in a helical tube shape. Cavatappi is the Italian word for corkscrew. Cavatelli resembles a tiny hot dog bun.

Pappardelle: Large, broad, flat noodles, wider than fettuccine. Often made with egg added to the dough.

Fusilli Pasta

This long, thick, spiral-shaped pasta adds an unexpected twist to any recipe that calls for spaghetti. Its crevices are perfect for carrying thick sauces, but it's often also used in pasta salads. Browse our entire collection of Fusilli Recipes.

The roughly 350 different types of pasta can be broadly sorted into four categories: Long: Tagliatelle, linguine, angel hair, fettuccine, capellini, etc. Short: Cavatappi, conchiglie, festoni, farfalle, fusilli, gnocchi, etc.

Scialatielli hail from the Amalfi Coast. Created in the 1960s by a local chef, they are short, thick and rectangular. I prefer fresh home made scialatielli to the dried version. The texture and taste provide a beautiful landing place for clams or fresh tomatoes and basil.

What are the 4 main Italian pasta dishes? ›

There are four classic Roman pasta dishes: cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, and alla gricia. Each one is a variation on the other — alla gricia is cacio e pepe plus guanciale, carbonara is gricia plus egg, and so on. These four dishes are famous in all of Italian cooking, not just in Rome.