National Pasta Association...

Did you know there is a National Pasta Association? Sign me up for those meetings! Are there taste testings? Debate over white versus wheat pasta? Or is it more like the Film Academy and they vote on Best Supporting Noodle and Best Sauce Holding Pasta Shape? And the award goes to… Orecchiette!

One summer when I was very young, my best friend’s Italian mother (the same one that would pack Nutella sandwiches for lunch) made it her mission to teach us every pasta shape in English and Italian. Nearly a decade later she was still quizzing us. And I’d bet good money if I were to knock on her door tomorrow, she’d say, “Julia! Come stai? What’s the Italian name for Bow Ties?”

So since work is absolutely mad at the moment and my kitchen needs to rest up for the next big endeavor (spoiler alert: Polenta!),  I decided this could be the perfect opportunity to do a little PASTA 101 courtesy of the National Pasta Association.

Campanelle: (Bells) Campanelle pasta resembles a small cone with a ruffled edge. Pair Campanelle pasta with meat, cream, vegetable or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great when used in pasta salads.

Farfalle: (Bow Ties) These brighten any meal with their interesting shape. Thick enough for a variety of sauces, or a perfect addition to a number of salads or soups.

Cavatappi: (Corkscrews) The tight spiral locks in the flavor allowing the shape to pair with both simple and sophisticated sauces. Pair Cavatappi with meat, cream, vegetable or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great when used in pasta salads.

Ditalini: (Little Thimbles) This versatile shape can be used as the base of any dish. Bake it, stir it into soups, or create great salads and stir-fry dishes.

Elbow Macaroni: A highly versatile shape that can be topped with any sauce, baked, or put in soups, salads and stir-fry dishes. Elbow Macaroni is traditionally used to make Macaroni and Cheese.

Fusilli: (Twisted Spaghetti) This long, spiraled shape can be topped with any sauce, broken in half and added to soups, or turned into a beautiful salad. Fusilli also bakes well in casseroles.

Jumbo Shells: Best when stuffed with your favorite mixtures of cheese, meat and vegetables.

Lasagna: Create original Lasagna casseroles by using chopped vegetables, cheeses and any kind of sauce. You can also assemble your casserole and freeze it for later meal.

Linguine: (Little Tongues) A great shape to compliment a variety of sauces. Also a good choice for salads and stir-fry dishes.

Orecchiette: (Little Ears) These “little ears” are commonly served with thick, chunky sauces or in pasta salads.

Penne: (Quills or Pens) Penne compliment virtually every sauce and are exceptional when paired with a chunky sauce. Penne pairs nicely with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great for baking dishes.

Pipe Rigate: A hollow curved pasta that resembles a snail shell. This shape has a wide opening at one end and the other end is flattened. Pipe Rigate pairs nicely with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based sauces.

Ravioli: Square round pillows of pasta that have a filling consisting of ingredients such as cheese, meats, vegetables and seasonings. Ravioli can be served with a red sauce or it can be served with butter, oil or cream.

Rigatoni: (Large Grooved) Rigatoni’s ridges and holes are perfect with any sauce, from cream or cheese to the chunkiest meat sauces. 

Rotelle: (Little Wheels) The cartwheel is not a classic Italian shape, but due to the variety of color and entertaining shape they are crowd favorite. Because the spokes of the wheels are good for capturing flavor, these shapes are easy to pair. Rotelle pasta pairs nicely with meat, cream, seafood or vegetable sauces.

Rotini: (Spirals or Twists) Rotini’s twisted shape holds bits of meat, vegetables and cheese, so it works well with any sauce, or you can use it to create fun salads, baked casseroles, or stir-fry meals.

Small Shells: Shells make a great addition to soups or as the base of a wonderful salad. Try remaking your favorite Macaroni and Cheese using Shells, for a fun twist on a time-honored tradition.

Spaghetti: (A length of Cord) America’s favorite shape, Spaghetti is the perfect choice for nearly any sauce, or it can be used to make casseroles or stir-fry dishes. Go beyond tomato sauce and see what your favorite becomes.

Tortellini: Tortellini is a ring-shaped pasta typically stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables. Tortellini is commonly served in a broth or cream sauce.

Tubini: A medium-sized, tubular pasta shape, Tubini is perfect for chunky sauces and meat dishes. It also makes wonderful salads, baked dishes and stir-fry meals.

Hungry yet?