Pasta is made from unleaven wheat, buckwheat dough that can be mixed with flour and water. It comes in various lengths, widths, and shapes. Pasta products are usually the primary ingredient that is served in a sauce. Although you can put other ingredients like steak, chicken, beef, seafood, vegetables, and more in with the pasta to transform it into a incredible meal. There are two categories of pasta and they are dried and fresh. Dried pasta made without eggs can be stored up to two years under certain conditions. Fresh pasta will keep for a few days in the fridge. All pastas are cook by the boiling process. Shapes can affect the cooking time, consistency, ability to hold sauce, ease of eating, and so forth. So certain shapes are better suited for certain dishes. For an example, amatriciana sauce (italian pasta sauce) is generally used with bucatin (thick spaghetti like pasta). Flat pastas are meant for cream sauces, whereas tomato based sauces cling better to round pastas.
All pastas have certain characteristics, flavor, and texture that is tenderly firm. To make preparing pasta dishes more exciting and interesting, knowing all the different pasta terms is a plus to cooking pastas. So you can buy and cook other pastas instead of the same old same old pasta. Check out the different pasta terms below:
Pasta Terms:
Anellini: Medium - small ridged, tubular pasta cut in thin rings.
Arrowroot Vermicelli- Very thin, chinese noodle.
Bucatini- Long, "holed", string noodles. These long, thick, hollow tubes of pasta are used with pesto and sauces containing pancetta, vegetables, and cheeses.
Candele- Long, large, tubular shaped pasta.
Cannelloni- Large cylinders that can be stuffed with various fillings.
Capellini Tagliati- Broken angel hair.
Couscous- Fine granules of pasta made from flour of North African origin.
Ditaloni Rigati- Short, narrow tubes that can be ridged or smooth. Used in soups with beans.
Egg Noodles- Usually a ribbon- like look in various widths; may be short or long.
Elbow Macaroni- Narrow, curved tubes cut in short lengths (about 1 inch).
Farfalle- Flat, rectangular pasta that is pinched in the center to resemble a bow. Paired these with oil based sauces, butter, tomatoes, or cheeses.
Fettucini- Long, flat, ribbon- shaped about 1/4 inch wide.
Funchetti- Mushroom- shaped egg pasta. Works well in hearty soups.
Linguine- Thin, slightly flattened, solid strands about 1/8 inch wide. Use in white cream sauces, pesto, and oil- based sauces.
Manicotti- Thick, ridged tubes that may be cut straight or in an angle.
Mostaccioli- Medium size tubes with angle cut ends. May be ridged.
Orzo- Tiny pasta shape that resembles large grains of rice.
Pansotti- Stuffed dumplings that are cut into squares and folded into triangles. May have straight or fluted edges.
Ramen- Chinese in origin. Comes fresh or dried.
Ravioli- Stuffed square of pasta, filled with cheese, vegetable, or meat fillings.
Rotelle- Spiral shape pasta.
Shells- Large or medium with a ridged shell shape. Medium shells for tomato, meat, and butter sauces. Large shells can be stuffed and baked.
Spaghetti- Solid, round strands of pasta.
Taglierini- Paper thin, ribbon pasta about 1/16 inch wide.
Tortellini- 2- inch disks of pasta filled with cheese or meat.
Ziti- Medium size tubes, may be ridged or short/ long.
Having a list of pasta terms can help you to pick the right type of pasta for your sauces and meals. This type of knowledge can improve your cooking skills and soon you can become an expert in italian pasta cooking. Periodically, I will be adding more pasta terms, so come back and learn new words to enhance your cooking experience.
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