Pasta Knowledge: Dried Pasta
What is Dried Pasta?
- Dried pasta is made from finely ground semolina flour and water (no egg, usually) that is mixed into a paste, pushed through molds, and cut into the multitude of pasta shapes.
- Unlike fresh pasta, this pasta is dried at a low temperature for several days until all the moisture has evaporated, allowing it to be stored almost indefinitely.
- E,g. Spaghetti, Penne, Rigatoni, Linguine, Orecchiette, Fusilli ,etc.
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| Types of Dried Pasta |
Read: Plating Techniques
Types of Dried Pasta
1. Ribbon, String Shapes or Strand Shapes
a. Spaghetti
- These pasta noodles are long and thin strands.
- Spaghetti is quite popular and can be found just about anywhere in the world
- The word spaghetti is plural for “spaghetto” which is the Italian word for one piece of the pasta. “Spaghetto” literally means “twine” or “thin string”
- Description: Thin round strands that are about 10" - 12" long, available in white or wheat
- Cooking Time in boiling water: 9 – 11 minutes
- Best for: Tossing with sauce
- Spaghetti Dishes: Spaghetti with Tomato sauce, Spaghetti Bolognese, Spaghetti Marinara, Spaghetti Carbonara, Spaghetti Primavera, Spaghetti aglio-olio, Spaghetti al Pomodoro, Spaghetti ai ricci di mare, etc.
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Spaghetti Dishes
Spaghetti Carbonara, Spaghetti Bolognese, and Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce |
b. Capellini or Angel Hair
- This long and round pasta is thinner than spaghetti
- Its name means “thin hair.”
- Shape: Very fine, delicate strands
- Best for: Tossing with a light sauce
- Capellini Dishes: Capellini with Light tomato Sauce, Capellini Primavera, Shrimp Capellini with Light Cream sauce, Capellini Pomodoro, Angel Hair with Basil Pesto, etc.
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Capellini Dishes
Capellini Primavera, Shrimp Capellini with Light Cream Sauce, and Capellini Pomodoro |
- The name of this pasta means “little ribbons” in Italian.
- Fettuccine is made from flour and eggs.
- Inauthentic Italian dishes, fettuccine is often made fresh.
- The most common dish is fettuccine alfredo.
- Shape: Long, flat egg noodles that are about 1/6" wide
- Best for: Tossing with sauce
- Fettuccine Dishes: Fettuccine Alfredo, Fettuccine with Cream mushroom sauce, Fettuccine Quattro Formaggi, Fettuccine Al Pomodore, etc.
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Fettuccine Dishes
Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine, Fettuccine with Creamy Mushroom Sauce, and Fettuccine Quattro Formaggi |
Read: Vegetable Cutting
d. Linguine
- This long strand of pasta is thin and flat, like a cross between spaghetti and fettuccine.
- In Italian, linguine means “little tongues.”
- A popular dish with this pasta is linguine and clams, or linguine al vongole
- Shape: Long, flat noodles about 1/8" wide
- Best for: Tossing with sauce
- Linguine Dishes: Pasta Chimayo, Linguine alle vongole, Linguine with Putanesca Sauce, Linguine Pesto Alla Genovese, etc.
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Linguine Dishes
Linguine Pesto alla Genovese, Lingune alle Vongole, and Linguine Putanesca |
Read: 9 Types of Breakfast
2. Tuber Shapes
a. Elbow or Macaroni
- This pasta is a small and hollow tube that is curved into a semicircle.
- Shape: Short, C-shaped tubes
- Best for Baked dishes, salads, soups, macaroni, and cheese.
- Macaroni Dishes: Baked Macaroni, Macaroni salad, and as the garnish soup (Minestrone soup)
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Macaroni Dishes
Macaroni Salad, Minestrone Soup, and Baked Macaroni |
b. Cannelloni
- Also known as manicotti,
- Cannelloni, or manicotti, is generally boiled then stuffed with cheese and meat, or sometimes cheese and spinach, and finally covered in marinara sauce.
- Shape: 3" or 4" long and rolled 1" in diameter
- Best for Baked dishes.
- Cannelloni Dishes: Baked Cannelloni, Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni, Creamy Chicken Cannelloni, etc.
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Cannelloni Dishes
Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni, Creamy Chicken Cannelloni, and Baked Beef Cannelloni |
- Penne is a type of pasta that comes from Italy.
- Penne comes in two styles, smooth which is known as “penne lisce” and with ridges which are known as “penne rigate.”.
- Shape: Small tubes that are typically 2" long, available in white or tri-colors
- Best for: Tossing with sauce or baked
- Penne Dishes: Penne with Chunky Tomato Sauce, Baked Penne, Penne with Blue Cheese Sauce, Penne Pasta Primavera, Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce, Penne Quattro Formaggi, etc.
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Penne Dishes
Penne with Blue Cheese Sauce, Penne Primavera, and Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce |
Read: Proper Deep Frying Method You Should Know
d. Rigatoni
- This pasta has a tube-like shape and is bigger than penne but its ends are not cut at an angle.
- Its surface has ridges in it which are good for holding sauce whether it is creamy or chunky.
- Shape: Short tubes about 1 1/2" long and 3/4" diameter, with ridges
- Best for: Tossing with sauce, baked dishes
- Rigatoni Dishes: Rigatoni Bolognese, Baked Rigatoni, Rigatoni Salad, Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce, Rigatoni Pomodoro, etc.
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Rigatoni Dishes
Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce, Baked Rigatoni, and Rigatoni Pomodoro |
Read: Top 10 Derivatives of Mayonnaise Dressing and Their Ingredients
3. Decorative or Unique Shapes
a. Farfalle or Bow-tie Shape
- This is a fun pasta commonly used to make attractive dishes.
- The word “farfalle” comes from Farfalla, an Italian word meaning butterfly.
- Shapes: Bow-tie shape, available in white or tri-color
- Best for: Tossing with sauce, pasta salad
- Farfalle Dishes: Farfalle Salad, Baked Farfalle, Farfalle Primavera, etc.
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| Farfalle Dishes: Farfalle Salad |
Read The Top 6 Traditional Appetizer You Should Know
b. Fusilli
- Shapes: Spiral shape, available in white
- Best for: Tossing with sauce, pasta salad
- Fusilli Dishes: Fusilli Pasta, Baked Fusilli, Fusilli Bolognese, Fusilli with Putanesca Sauce, etc.
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| Fusilli Salad: Fusilli Basil Pesto Salad |
- This spiral-shaped pasta is similar to Fusilli but had a tighter spiral.
- It is commonly used in pasta salads.
- Shapes: Spiral-shaped to retain sauces and ingredients, available in white or tri-color
- Best for: Tossing with sauce, pasta salad
- Rotini Dishes: Baked Rotini, Rotini with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto, Rotini Bolognese, Rotini with Putanesca Sauce, Rotini Salad, etc.
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| Rotini Dishes: Rotini with Saun-dried Tomato Pesto |
Read: 10 Types of Compound Butter to Enrich Your Dishes
d. Shell
- Shapes and size: Small shell shape with an open cavity that collects sauce, seasoning, and meat
- Best for: Baked dishes, salads
- Shell Dishes: Stuffing Pasta Shell, Tomato sauce, cream sauce, cheese, vinaigrette, meat, vegetable
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Pasta Shell Dishes
Baked Stuffed Pasta Shell & Pasta Salad |
- Blanch or boil the pasta in boiling water.
- In boiling water always add sea salt for flavor and oil to prevent noodles from clumping together once drained.
- While cooking, frequently stir pasta with a wooden spoon to prevent clumping.
- Cook al dente - undercooking pasta is used in the first round of cooking when a pasta dish is going to be cooked twice, such as, sauteing or baking.
- After you boil the pasta, do not put the pasta in ice water. Simply drain the pasta, add olive oil and spread pasta around the tray, and then cool and keep on the side until further processing such as, sauteing, baking, tossing, etc.
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