Marco Polo DID

NOT return to Italy with pasta from China. This legend is

false. In fact, pasta was invented by Italians and has become
symbolic of their dedication to perfection and pride in the
kitchen.
History of Pasta
Ancient Rome was the birthplace of fresh pasta (pasta
fresca),which was made by adding water to semolina-flour.
This vital ingredient is made from durum wheat, a thriving
crop in Italys temperate climate. Unlike the dried pasta
found at your local grocery store today, fresh pasta was
meant to be eaten immediately. The Arab invasions of Sicily
in the 8th Century are thought to be the origins of dried
pasta (pasta secca). At the time, Palermo was producing mass
quantities of the new product. Some Arabian influence can
still be found in select recipes, using ingredients such as
raisins and cinnamon.
In the 1300s, dried pasta became very popular for use on long
nautical expeditions because of its shelf-life and nutrition.
These voyages contributed to pastas worldwide appeal and led
to advances in its form and technology. Back in Italy, pasta
was slowly migrating north to Naples and reached its
destination in the 17th Century. A few historical events
boosted pasta to a national icon. It became a kitchen staple
during the Risorgimento (Italian Unification) in the mid
1860s. Italian political and military figure Giuseppe
Garibaldi introduced the country to La Scienza in cucina e
lArte I Mangiar bene, a cookbook written in 1891 by
Pellegrino Artusi that featured pasta. Tomato sauce was
introduced to Italy in the 19th Century but was met with
skepticism. The tomato, being a member of the nightshade
family, was considered inedible in many regions; fortunately,
those rumors were put to rest shortly thereafter. The last
major event to influence pastas early history was the

Italian Diaspora, a mass migration of Italians from their

country in the time between the Unification and World War I.
These times of hardship led Italians to take even more pride
in refining the art of cooking.
Types of Pasta
There are two major classifications: pasta fresca (fresh) and
pasta secca (dried). From here, there are more than 400
unique types of pasta: sheets, strips, long strands,
cylinders, unique shapes, flavors, and many other local
varieties. There are more names for pasta than the mind can
retain, yet all are made from the same basic ingredients
100% durum wheat and water with a specific percentage of
acidity and humidity under Italian law. Varying from the
basics, light flavors and colors can be added to pasta with
egg yolk, spinach, tomato paste, chocolate, and even squid
ink. Each of these pastas creates its own unique dining
experience when properly served. Another crucial aspect of
the experience is pasta being married with an appropriate,
complimentary sauce. The individual shape and texture given
to pasta can be somewhat of a code in determining the proper
sauce. A simple rule of thumb would be as follows: thick
pasta = thick sauce, light pasta = light sauce.
Pasta fresca, the starting point of all pastas, is created with
higher humidity, and some types only exist in this category.
Variations can often be regional. Northern Italy is known to
use all-purpose flour and eggs, while southern Italy uses the
standard semolina and water mixture. Reputed to have the best
pasta fresca in Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region often serves
fresh pasta with cream sauces. Another regional variation
could be found in Piedmont where butter and black truffles
are a common ingredient. Other ingredients vary, from
potatoes to ricotta.
Special tools are used when making dried pasta. First, the pasta
is forced through holes in a die-plate and onto sheets for
cutting. The next step is drying. Pasta secca is only
considered real pasta if it is made in the proper Italian
way, slow-drying it for upwards of fifty hours in a copper
mold, and then in the open air. The rest of the world usually
dries pasta in steel molds at extremely high temperatures for
short periods of time, resulting in an inferior product.
Italians take pride in their method and can be proud of a
smoother tasting, quicker cooking pasta that can hold on to
its sauce.
Shapes of Pasta
The following table maps out the various shapes and forms of
pasta:
Unique Shapes
Name
Description
Translation
Flattened bellshaped pasta
Campanelle
with a
Little bells
frilly edge
on one end

Name

Capunti

Casarecce
Cavatelli

Cencioni
Conchiglie
Conchiglioni

Corzetti
Creste di
Galli
Croxetti

Fantolioni

Farfalle
Farfallone
Fiorentine
Fiori
Foglie dulivo
Fusilli

Description
Short convex
ovals
resembling
an open
empty pea
pod
Short lengths
rolled into
an S shape
Short, solid
lengths
Petal shaped,
slightly
curved with
rough convex
side
Seashell shaped
Large,
stuffable
seashellshaped
Flat figureeight
stamped
Short, curved
and ruffled
Flat coinshaped discs
stamped with
coats of
arms
Panda-shaped
bow-ties
commonly
served with
boiled
olives
Bow tie or
butterfly
shaped
Larger bowties
Grooved cut
tubes
Shaped like a
flower
Shaped like an
olive leaf
Three-edged
spiral,
usually in
mixed
colors. Many

Translation

From casereccio
meaning
homemade
From the verb
cavare meaning
to hollow
Little rags
Shells
Large shells

Cocks combs

Little crosses

Pre-packaged
pandas

Butterflies
Large butterfly
Florentine
Little flowers
Olive leaf
From fusile,
archaic/dialect
form of fucile,
meaning rifle.
As the inside

Name

Fusilli Bucati

Gemelli

Gigli

Gnocchi

Description
vendors and
brands sold
as fusilli
are twoedged
A spring-shaped
variety of
the above
A single Sshaped
strand of
pasta
twisted in a
loose spiral
Cone or flower
shaped
Round in shape
and often
made with
flour plus
potatoes

Gramigna

Short, curled
lengths of
pasta

Lanterne

Curved ridges

Lumache

Snail-shaped

Lumaconi
Maltagliati

Jumbo lumache
Flat roughly
cut
triangles
Designed by
Philippe
Starck in
1987 for
French
pasta-maker
Panzani
Designed by
Giorgetto
Guigiaro in
1983 like
a rolling
ocean wave
in crosssection with
internal
rugosities,
but
unsuccessful
and no
longer

Mandala

Marille

Translation
barrel of a gun
is rifled
using a similar
screw-shaped
device
Holed rifles

Twins

Lilies
From the Italian
gnocco, meaning
a knot in
wood
Scutch-grass; more
generically,
infesting
weed
Lantern holders
From lumaca,
meaning snail
Large snails
Badly cut

Design based on
compensating
for overcooking
From mare, meaning
sea

Name
Orecchiette
Pipe
Quadrefiore

Radiatore
Ricciolini
Ricciutelle
Rotelle

Rotini

Spirali
Spiralini
Strangolapreti
Torchio
Trofie
Tubular Pasta
Name
Bucatini
Calamarata
Calamaretti
Cannelloni
Cavatappi

Description
produced
Bowl or ear
shaped pasta
Larger version
of macaroni
Square with
rippled
edges
Shaped like
radiators
Short wide
pasta with a
90-degree
twist
Short spiraled
pasta
Wagon wheelshaped pasta
2-edged spiral,
tightly
wound. Some
vendors and
brands are
3-edged and
sold as
rotini
A tube which
spirals
round
More tightlycoiled
fusilli
Rolled across
their width
Torch-shaped
Thin twisted
pasta
Description
Hollow spaghetti
Wide ring shaped
pasta
Smaller
Calamarata
Large stuffable
tubes
Corkscrew-shaped
macaroni

Translation
Little ears
Smoking pipes
Flower quadrants

Radiator
From riccio, curly
From riccio, curly
Little wheels
(from ruotawheel)

Spirals
Little spirals
Priest-chokers or
prieststranglers
Winepress

Translation
Little holes
Squid (also
known as
calamari)
Big pipes or
reeds
Corkscrews; also
known as
Cellentani and
Spirali

Name
Cellentani
Chifferi

Ditalini

Fideua
Gomito
Maccheroni

Elicoidali

Fagioloni
Garganelli

Maccheroni

Maccheroncelli
Maltagliati

Manicotti
Mezzani Pasta
Mezze Penne
Mezze
Bombardoni
Mostaccioli

Description
Corkscrew-shaped
tube
Short and wide
macaroni
Short tubes,
like elbows
but shorter
and without a
bend
Short and thin
tubes

Translation

Bent tubes

Elbow macaroni

Slightly ribbed
tube pasta;
the ribs are
corked as
opposed to
those on
rigatoni
Short narrow
tube
Square egg
noodle rolled
into a tube
As long as a
little
finger,
usually
striped
Hollow pencilshaped pasta
Short wide pasta
with
diagonally
cut ends
Large ridged
tubes that
are stuffed
Short curved
tube
Short version of
penne
Short, wide
tubes
Sometimes
mistakenly
used as
another name
for Penne,
Mostaccioli
differ in

Small fingers

Helicoidal

Little beans

Roughly cut
Sleeves, from
the Italian
word manica
From Mezzo
meaning halfsize
Half-pens
Half bombards
Mustaches

Name

Paccheri
Pasta al Ceppo

Penne

Penne Rigate
Penne Lisce
Penne Zita
Pennette
Pennoni

Description
that they do
not have
ridges.
Mostaccioli
are also
called Penne
Lisce or
smooth
penne
Large tube
Shaped like a
cinnamon
stick
Medium length
tubes with
ridges, cut
diagonally at
both ends

Translation

Literally pens
because the
tip is similar
to that of a
quill, or
fountain pen

Penne with
ridged sides
Penne with
smooth sides
Wider version of
penne
Short thin
version of
penne
Wider version of
penne

Perciatelli

Thicker bucatini

Rigatoncini

Smaller version
of rigatoni

Rigatoni

Large and
slightly
curved tube

Sagne

Long tube formed

From the verb

Perciare
meaning
Hollow
inside
From riga,
meaning line:
rigatoni is
pasta with
lines (large).
Rigato or
rigate, when
added to
another pasta
name means
lined, or,
with ridges
added, as in
spaghetti
rigati

Name
Incannulate
Trenne
Trennette

Tortiglioni

Tuffoli
Ziti
Zitoni
Strand Pasta
Name
Spaghettoni
Spaghetti
Spaghettini

Description
of twisted
ribbon
Penne shaped as
a triangle
Smaller version
of trenne
Narrower
rigatoni

Translation

From the verb

Torcere
meaning to
twist.
Twisted,
wringed

Ridged rigatoni
Long, narrow
hose-like
tubes
Wider version of
Ziti
Description
Thick spaghetti
Most common
round-rod
pasta

Thin spaghetti
Between
spaghetti and
Fedelini
vermicelli in
size
Vermicelloni
Thick vermicelli
Thicker than
capellini,
Vermicelli
thinner than
fedelini
Thinner than
vermicelli,
Capellini
thicker than
angel hair
Capellini
Thinnest rounddangelo
rod pasta
In order of thickest to thinnest.
Various Strand Pasta
Name
Description
Thin strands
Barbina
often coiled
into nests
Spaghetti
Similar to
alla
spaghetti,
Chitar
except
ra
square
rather than

Translation
Thick little twine
Spago means twine,
spaghetto means
little twine,
spaghetti is
plural
Thin little twine
Little faithful
ones
Thick little worms
Little worms

Fine hair
Angel hair

Translation
Little beards
Named after the device
used to cut the
pasta, which has a
wooden frame strung
with metal wires.

Name

Description
round, and
made of egg
in addition
to flour

Ciriole
Fusilli
Lunghi

Pici
Ribbon Pasta
Name
Bavette
Bavettine
Fettuce
Fettuccine
Fettucelle
Lagane
Lasagne
Lasagnette
Lasagnotte
Linguettine
Linguine
Mafalde
Mafaldine
Pappardelle
Pillus
Pizzoccheri
Reginette
Sagnarelli

Thicker version
of chitarra
Very long
coiled rods
(like a thin
telephone
cord)
Very thick,
long, hand
rolled
Description
Narrower version of
tagliatelle
Narrower version of
bavette
Wider version of
fettuccine
Ribbon of pasta
approximately
6.5 millimeters
wide
Narrower version of
fettuccine
Wide noodles
Very wide noodles
that often have
fluted edges
Narrower version of
lasagne
Longer version of
lasagna
Narrower version of
linguine
Flattened spaghetti
Short rectangular
ribbons
Long ribbons with
ruffled sides
Thick flat ribbon
Very thin ribbons
Ribbon pasta made
from buckwheat
Wide ribbon with
rippled edges
Rectangular ribbons

Translation
Sheets of pasta are
pressed down onto
the device, and
then the wires are
strummed so that
the slivers of
pasta fall through

Long rifles

Translation
Little thread

Ribbons
Little ribbons

Cooking pot

Little tongues

Little queens

Name

Sciatelli of
Sciatelli
Stringozzi
Tagliatelle
Taglierini
Trenette
Tripoline
Micro Pasta
Name
Acini di Pepe
Anelli
Anellini
Conchigliette
Corallini
Ditali
Ditalini

Description
with fluted
edges
Home-made long
spaghetti with a
twisted long
spiral
Similar to
shoelaces
Ribbon fairly
thinner than
fettucine
Thinner version of
Tagliatelle
Thin ribbon ridged
on one side
Thick ribbon ridged
on one side
Description
Bead-like pasta
Small rings of
pasta
Smaller version of
Anelli
Small shell shaped
pasta
Small short tubes
of pasta
Small short tubes
Smaller version of
Ditali

Farfalline

Small bow tie

shaped pasta

Fideos

Short thin pasta

Filini

Smaller version of
Fideos

Fregula
Funghini
Ochi di
Pernice
Orzo

Pastina

Bead-like pasta
from Sardinia
Small mushroom
shaped pasta
Very small rings
of pasta
Rice shaped pasta,
also Risoni
Small spheres
about the same
size or smaller
than Acini di
Pepe

Translation

From stringhe,
meaning
shoestrings
From tagliare
to cut

Translation
Peppercorns
Rings
Little rings
Little shells
Little corals
Thimbles
Little thimbles
Either bowties
or little
butterflies
Thin threads;
(from filo,
meaning
thread)
Little
mushrooms
Partridges
eyes
Barley

Little pasta

Name
Pearl Pasta
Quadrettini
Risi
Seme di
Melone
Stelle
Stelline
Stortini
Trachana
Stuffed Pasta
Name
Agnolotti

Cannelloni

Casoncelli

Fagottini

Mezzelune
Occhi di
Lupo
Panzerotti

Description
Spheres slightly
larger than
Acini di Pepe
Small flat squares
of pasta
Smaller version of
Orzo
Small seed shaped
pasta
Small star-shaped
pasta
Smaller version of
Stelle
Smaller version of
elbow macaroni
Granular,
irregular
shaped pasta of
Greek origin
Description
Semi-circular pockets;
can be stuffed with
ricotta or mix of
cheese and meats or
pureed vegetables
Oven cooked, stuffed
rolls of pasta
A semi-circular stuffed
pasta, specifically
associated with the
style alla
bergamasca, which is
stuffed with a
mixture of bread
crumbs, egg, cheese,
ground beef, salami,
raisins, Amaretti
biscuits, pear, and
garlic
A purse or bundle of
pasta, made from a
round of dough
gathered into a ballshaped bundle, often
stuffed with ricotta
and fresh pear
Semi-circular pockets;
about 2.5 in.
diameter
A large, penne shaped
pasta that is stuffed
Pasta made from eggs

Translation

Little squares
Little rice
Melon seeds
Stars
Little stars
Little crooked
ones

Translation
Lambs ears

Big tubes

Little
purses

Half-moons
Eyes of the
Wolf

Name
Pelmeni
Pierogi

Ravioli

Description
cheese and flour
Meat-filled dumplings,
usually served in
broth
Dumplings filled with
meat, vegetables,
cheese or fruit
Square. About 3x3cm.
Stuffed with cheese,
ground meat, pureed
vegetables, or
mixtures thereof

Sacchettini
Tortellini
Tortelloni

Translation

Possibly
from
rapa,
turnip
Little sacks

Ring-shaped. Stuffed
with a mixture of
meat and cheese
Larger version of
Tortellini