Pasta is one of the main ones. Pasta can be served on its own with just a drizzle of olive oil. Or decorate with juicy sauce. And you can add pasta to casseroles, soups or salads. There are so many options for preparing dishes from it.

In Russian, pasta is usually called macaroni. But pasta is just one of nearly a hundred types of pasta that became popular in Russia during the Soviet Union. In fact, there are many different varieties and types of pasta. And each form of pasta is designed for specific recipes and dishes.Therefore, the right form is of great importance for the final taste in the type of dish. With such a huge variety of types of pasta, it is very difficult to decide which form to use when preparing a particular dish.We have written a detailed guide to walk you through the important basics. Now you can find the perfect shape, size and texture that is exactly right for your dish.

Italian names for pasta are always plural. If names end with suffixes-ini, -elli, -illi, -etti, -ine, -elle, it meansreduced version. If names end with suffixes -oni or -one, on the contrary, mean a larger, enlarged size. Other suffixes may also occur, such as − otti(pretty big) and - acci(rough, poorly made).

Some varieties of pasta belong only to certain regions of Italy and are widely not known. Some types or forms may have different names in different languages. Manufacturers and chefs are constantly in search and come up with more and more new forms of pasta. And we present the most complete overview of the types of Italian pasta. But before. Before we start going through the types of pasta, it's important to understand some of the basic terms and conventions you'll come across in the text.

Glossary of terms:

Al dente- translated from Italian means "by the tooth." This term refers to a fully cooked pasta that is still slightly firm, giving it an attractive texture.

Alfredo (Alfredo)- white sauce with cream, butter, parmesan and black pepper.

Asiago A popular Italian hard cheese, usually grated, added to sauces or used as a garnish.

Arrabbiata (Arrabbiata)- a spicy sauce for pasta, which is prepared on the basis of tomatoes, garlic, red hot peppers and olive oil.

Bolognese A pasta sauce originating in the Bologna region of Italy. Traditionally, it contains minced meat, onions, celery, carrots, and tomato paste.

Durum- durum wheat with a high content of protein and gluten. It also has a low moisture content and a long shelf life.

Carbonara (Carbonara)- white sauce for pork pasta with cream.

Marinara- a spicy sauce for pasta, which is prepared on the basis of tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs and olive oil.

Pomodoro (Pomodoro)- tomato sauce without meat.

Rigate- translated from Italian means "with ribs." This type of pasta has a ribbed texture, so sauces, seasonings, meats and vegetables will cling to sauces, seasonings, meats and vegetables when lifted from a plate.

Semolina (Semolina)- wholemeal flour, which is used to make dry pasta. It is made from durum wheat with a high protein content.

Sofritto (Soffritto)- a culinary term that means "fried". As a rule, vegetables are lightly fried in oil before they are added to the sauce for further stewing.

Dry pasta- pasta made from durum wheat flour and water. These ingredients are mixed into a dough and then pushed through molds and cut into various types of pasta. After the dough is formed, it goes through a drying process. Because dry pasta contains no moisture, it has a longer shelf life than fresh pasta and can be stored for up to two years. Dry pasta can be made al dente. This makes this type of pasta most suitable for soups, stews and dishes with rich sauces.

Fresh pasta It is usually made from white flour and eggs. This type of pasta is usually made at home. For example, noodles. Since fresh pasta is softer than dry pasta, it is best served with delicate sauces, olive oil or cream cheese. In this case, the soft texture will be harmoniously complemented by these light ingredients.

How to cook pasta the right way.

1. Pasta is always cooked last. When preparing a pasta-based dish, it is important to prepare all other ingredients in the recipe first, including the sauce, vegetables, seafood, and meat. Pasta is best served as soon as it is ready.
2. How much water do you need to make pasta? For every 500 g of pasta, use 5 liters of water. In order for the pasta not to stick together during cooking, it is very important to use enough water. The optimal ratio is easy to calculate, given the proportion above.
3. How much salt to add when making pasta? For every 500 g of pasta, it is optimal to add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of sea salt. Salt must be put into boiling water before the pasta is put in.
4. When to add olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together? In order to prevent the pasta from sticking together after draining the water, you need to add olive oil to boiling water before putting the pasta. Olive oil is added at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon for 500 gr of pasta.
5. How to mix pasta? The pasta is placed in boiling water after adding salt and olive oil. During cooking, you need to periodically stir the pasta with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
6. How long to cook pasta? If you want al dente pasta, you need to turn off the heat 1 minute before the minimum cooking time indicated on the package. In order not to overcook the pasta, it is most convenient to set the timer for the right time. The readiness of the pasta can be checked by trying one thing. It should literally crunch a little on the teeth.
7. How to drain water? As soon as the pasta is ready, you need to immediately turn off the heat and immediately drain the water. The easiest way to drain the water is with a colander. After the water is drained, the pasta can be doused with ice water to stop it from further cooking. This is true in cases where the pasta goes further to the preparation of salads.
8. How to season pasta? If you are cooking pasta with sauce, then after draining the water, immediately add the pasta to the pan with the prepared sauce or stew, mix and hold on fire for literally 1 minute. Then arrange on portioned plates, if necessary, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with grated cheese.
9. What is the right way to eat spaghetti? Spaghetti and other long products like tagliatelle or fettuccine are considered quite complex dishes. Contrary to popular belief, eat them always with a fork. Italian etiquette allows the use of a spaghetti spoon for children or foreigners. Therefore, it is better to put the spoon aside and learn how to eat Italian spaghetti with just a fork. To do this, you need to grab two or three strips of spaghetti and, holding the fork at an angle, carefully wind the spaghetti so that the ends do not stick out or hang down. Only after that you need to put the fork in your mouth.

Types of pasta:

Anelli

Description: Small thin rings originating in Sicily. Strong popularity came to them after the American company Chef Boyardee released a product called Spaghetti-O (Spaghetti-O's).

Cooking time:

Dishes: Most often used in soups and salads.

Anellini

Description: Very small thin rings, a smaller version of anelli (about a quarter of their size). Also from Sicily.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Commonly used in soups, salads and in combination with meat stews.

Agnolotti (Agnolotti)

Description: Pasta stuffed with meat or vegetables, originally from the Piedmont region of Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:

Acini di pepe

Description: The name means "peppercorns" in Italian. Acini di pepe looks like couscous but is actually a type of pasta that looks like tiny grains. Some people call them pastina (pastina), which means "tiny dough."

Cooking time: 4-9 minutes.

Dishes: Cold salads and soups. Preferred ingredient for Italian Wedding soup.

Bavette (Bavette)

Description: long pasta with flatter, slightly convex cross-section, originally from Genoa.

Cooking time: 8-11 minutes

Dishes: P served with traditional pesto sauces or with vegetables.

Bigoli

Description: A long, thick, tubular paste that is produced by extrusion. Usually made from buckwheat or whole grain wheat flour.Originally from Venice.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Usually served with various thick or meat sauces, one of the most popular is duck stew.

Busyate

Description: A type of pasta that can only be found in Trapani, a province in Western Sicily. Buziate is made from durum wheat flour and water, like most fresh pasta in southern Italy. The name comes from the word "busa", meaning a thin stick made from a plant that grows on dry, sandy soil. In the manufacture of buzatti, this special stick is used. Although these days, many more often use a special metal wire or knitting needle.

Dry buzate is also available on the market, but most families in Sicily prefer to use fresh, self-cooked ones.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Best paired with Trapanese sauces. These are fish sauces that are very popular on the seafood-rich island of Sicily.

Bucatini (Bucatini)

Description: B A thicker version of the famous spaghetti, but with a hole in the center. In fact, the name of this pasta comes from the Italian word "buco", which means "hole". Bucatini originated in Italy in the regions of Naples, Liguria and Lazio.

Cooking time: 8-10 minutes

Dishes: Served with dishes such as pancetta (pancetta), guanciale (guanciale), as well as cheese, eggs, anchovies, sardines or butter sauce.

Vermicelli

Description: The name vermicelli comes from the Italian word for "little worm". Vermicelli is similar in shape to very short spaghetti, but vermicelli can be slightly thicker or thinner depending on where it is made.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Vermicelli is usually served with various sauces, both thick and light.

Garganelli

Description: Pasta made from flat, square pieces of dough rolled into tubes. Garganelli has its roots in the Romagna region of Italy and is known for its characteristic furrows on the surface of the piece.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with prosciutto and peas, namely as part of a dish that contains onions, peas and salted ham.

Ditali

Description: Short cut tubes, 0.95 cm long. Native to Sicily. The name means "thimble" in Italian.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually used in soups and salads.

Ditalini

Description: Short cut tubes, smaller than ditals. Originally from Naples, the name translates from Italian as "little thimbles". They are also called "short pasta" for their small size.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Usually served with ricotta or broccoli, also great for soups.

Cavatappi (Cavatappi)

Description: Hollow inside, twisted in the form of a corkscrew, about 2.5 cm in length. The name is translated from Italian - corkscrew. Ribbed patterns are usually applied to the surface.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with tomato-based sauces and often paired with cheeses such as provolone, mozzarella, or parmesan.

Cavatelli (Cavatelli)

Description: The name cavatelli comes from the Italian verb cavare, which means "to hollow out or cut out". This is exactly what this pasta looks like, like a hollowed out shell that looks like a hot dog bun. It is considered one of the most delicious types of pasta, originally from southern Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Served most often in combination with ricotta cheese and tomato sauce.

Caserecce (Caserecce)

Description: Pasta rolled in the shape of the letter S. Originally from Sicily, however, the popularity of this pasta quickly spread to other regions of central and southern Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Served with eggplant, ricotta and seafood.

Calamarata (Calamarata)

Description: Pasta in the form of thick rings, originally from Naples. They are often confused with squid rings due to their external similarity. Calamarata belongs to the Paccheri type of pasta due to its tubular shape.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Pairs well with thick creamy sauces.

Cannelloni

Description: Pasta in the form of thick pipes, about 8-10 cm long. They were first invented in Naples by the famous chef Nicola Federico.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Cannelloni are usually filled with cheese, meat, vegetable or fish fillings.

Canule

Description: Long thin products twisted in the form of a corkscrew. They have a long history and traditions of cooking.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Ideal for both light and thick sauces.

Capelli - Angel hair (Capelli d'angelo / Angel hair)

Description: Thin long pasta, similar to spaghetti. However, unlike spaghetti, capelli are usually very thin, ranging from 0.78 to 0.89 mm in diameter. They are usually sold rolled up into coils that look like a bird's nest. This is one of the classic forms of pasta that has been popular since the 14th century.

Cooking time: 2-4 minutes.

Dishes: It is used to prepare soups and seafood dishes, as well as accompanied by light sauces (seafood, olive oil, butter, light cream or tomato sauces).

Capellini

Description: Capellini are very similar to capelli (angel hair), but slightly thicker. Their diameter is usually from 0.88 to 0.91 mm in diameter. Capellini are very often mistaken for angel hair. However, despite the similarities, they are actually considered different types of pasta.

Cooking time: 2-6 minutes.

Dishes: For making soups or with light sauces.

Cappelletti

Description: They are pasta stuffed with meat, similar to dumplings. They come from the ancient city of Modena. The name means "little hat" in Italian, and their shape definitely resembles hats.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Served with chicken or kaplan broth.

Capricci

Description: A type of pasta that has perhaps one of the most bizarre shapes on the list. Capricci originate from Apulia, a region in Italy, and are irregular in shape, reminiscent of ocean coral.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Capricci are served with thick or light sauces.

Quadrettini (Quadrettini)

Description: Small flat pieces of dough that are square or triangular in shape. Originally from the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Commonly used in light soups and broths.

Conchiglie - Shells (Conchiglie)

Description: Small shell-shaped products, originally from Italy, are one of the most popular forms of pasta due to their ability to hold sauces perfectly due to their shape.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Dishes: Soups, casseroles, and also accompanied by sauces.

Croxetti

Description: They have a shape imitating a medallion, with a pattern embossed manually or by machine. Croxetti originated in the Liguria region of northern Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with simple sauces such as meat, mushrooms, pesto, fish or light cream.

Kyocholle - Snails (Chiocciole)

Description: Small in size, hollow inside, kyo cholle resemble the well-known pasta, but have a more rounded shape and a distinct ribbed pattern. Thanks to the rounded shape, they really resemble snails. Hence the name. In Italian, kyocholle means snail. In Russian, we know them precisely under the name "snails".

Cooking time:

Dishes: They are ideal for making soups, and they are also served with light or thick sauces.

Lasagna

Description: Long, flat, rectangular sheets of dough with wavy edges. Lasagna originated in Naples and has now gained worldwide fame. Lasagna, by the way, is known as the favorite dish of Garfield the cat.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Lasagna is eaten as a dish made with layers of lasagna interspersed with various sauces, cheeses, and other ingredients.

Linguine

Description: Long, thin, elliptical, ribbon-like paste. It originated in Liguria and the Genoese regions of Italy.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Dishes:Usually cooked in combination with seafood and shellfish, pesto, and a variety of red sauces such as arrabbiata or marinara.

Lumake - Snails (Lumache)

Description: Small products in the form of a snail, with a ribbed surface. Lumaces have one crimped end to better hold the sauce. Their production is rooted in Sicily.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Usually served with the thickest and coarsest sauces.

Macaroni

Description: Pasta has a slightly curved tubular shape with a smooth surface. This makes them almost universal. Pasta is perhaps one of the most popular types of pasta in the world. They originated in northern and central Italy.

Cooking time: 6-8 minutes

Dishes:Commonly used in casseroles, soups, and also served with cheese or vegetable sauces.

Mafalda (Mafalda)

Description: Mafalda - thin long flat ribbons with wavy or corrugated edges. It is believed that they originated in the Molise region of Italy and got their name in honor of Princess Mafalda of Savoy. Therefore, the alternative name for this form of pasta is Reginette ( reginette), which in Italian means"little Queen".

Cooking time:

Dishes:Usually served with Italian sausage or ricotta cheese.

Mezze penne

Description: Mezze penne is slightly shorter and narrower than regular penne, but has the same furrows on the surface. The name translates from Italian as "half penne". Mezze penne is popular in northern Italy, especially in the Campagna region.

Cooking time:

Dishes:They are traditionally paired with tomato sauce or the spicier arrabbiata sauce.

Mezzelune (Mezzelune)

Description: Semicircular pasta with filling inside. The name comes from the Italian word mezzelune, which translates as "crescents". Mezzelune originated in Tyrol. The filling is usually Bitto cheese with eggs, milk and white pepper.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Mezzeluni is usually served with porcini mushrooms, white wine and sweet butter.

Gnocchi (Gnocchi di patate)

Description: A type of dumpling that is cut into small pieces the size of a small cork. Their origin dates back to the times of the Roman Empire, but gnocchi gained particular popularity already in Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: They are usually made from potatoes with spinach, ricotta, eggs or cheese.

Gnocchetti sardi

Description: Pastes of a small compact form, resembling small shells from molluscs. Homeland gnochetti - Sardinia.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with meat and cheese sauces.

Orecchiette

Description: Orecchiette is a small ear-shaped pasta. Native to the Puglia region of Italy.

Cooking time: 11-12 minutes

Dishes:Usually served with rapini or broccoli, as well as with tomato or meat sauce.

Orzo (Orzo)

Description: The name orzo literally translates from Italian as barley, and because of this, many people mistake this paste for a grain. In the form of orzo resembling large grains of rice. This is probably why this pasta has another name - risoni, which means "big rice".

Cooking time:

Dishes:Often used in salads, soups and casseroles. One of the most popular Italian dishes in which to find orzo is minestrone soup.

Packeri (Paccheri)

Description: Packeri are shaped like pieces of cut garden hose. A very popular type of pasta, originated in the regions of Calabria and Campania.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Packeri is often added to soups, lasagna, or dishes with thick garlic sauces.

Pappardelle

Description:Pappardelle are flat wide ribbons that are cut wider than fettuccine. Come from from the central-south region of Tuscany in Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Great for a variety of sauces, from meats to shellfish and vegetables.

Passatelli

Description:Passatelli is a thin pasta that looks like rice noodles, only slightly thicker. They are made from eggs, bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.Native to the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:They are usually boiled in chicken broth.

Pastina

Description: This is the name of very small pasta, which can be of any shape. Literally, this Italian word translates as "tiny dough" or "small pasta." Pastinis are made from wheat, typically 0.8 cm or less in size. Some of the most common pastini shapes are tiny stars, shells, tubes, and pasta. Acini di Pepe is also referred to as pastini.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Like orzo, pastini is most commonly used in soups and salads.

Penne (Penne)

Description: Penne is a small cylindrical shape and is one of the 10 most popular types of pasta. First came from Sicily.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Dishes: Good combination for penne spinach and ricotta, they are also served in various sauces based on tomatoes or cream.

Pichi

Description: Made by hand, pici look like thick spaghetti. Originally from the province of Siena in Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:They are usually eaten with stew, garlic-tomato sauce, porcini mushrooms and a variety of meat dishes (for example, wild boar, duck, hare, etc.)

Pipe (Pipe)

Description: Hollow pasta, from north-central Italy, has a curved shape resembling a snail shell, but with a flattened opening at one end.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Pipe goes well with stew, vegetable or cream sauce.

Pizzoccheri

Description: Flat, short strips made from a mixture of buckwheat and whole wheat flour (usually in an 80:20 ratio). Pizzoccheri owes its origin to the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. One of the unique types, not similar to other types of pasta.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually pizzoccheri is prepared with herbs, potatoes and cheese.

Ravioli

Description:Ravioli are square-shaped pastry with ribbed edges, filled with fillings, usually meat, cheese, and vegetables.The origin of this very popular pasta is not fully known. But it is believed that the region of Lombardy had a great influence in the distribution of ravioli.

Cooking time:

Dishes:

Rigatoni

Description: Large tubular paste with longitudinal grooves that run along the entire length. They're a little bigger than penne

Cooking time: 11-13 minutes

Dishes:Usually served with meat stews or paired with a variety of light or thick sauces. Also, rigatoni can often be found in casseroles.

Rotelle

Description: Pasta in the form of wheels from a van, for this similarity with wheels they got their second name - Wagon wheel s . Originally originated in northern Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with tomato or cream sauces.

Rotini

Description: Pasta in the form of short pieces wrapped in spirals in order to better hold the sauces.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Dishes: Usually served with meat, tomato or cream sauces.

Sanye torte (Sagne torte)

Description: A spiral long pasta that originated in the Apulia region of Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Served with various mixed meat sauces.

Sedani

Description: If you cut off the beveled edges of the penne, you get sedans. Although their origin is not exactly known, it is reasonable to assume that they originated as an offshoot of the penne invented by the Sicilians.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Sedani are usually served with tomato sauce, but also simply with butter and cheese.

Spaghetti

Description:Spaghetti is a very long, thin, rounded noodle.Perhaps one of the most commonly used types of pasta in the world.

Cooking time: 8-11 minutes

Dishes:Served with a variety of sauces, meats and vegetables, includingmeatballs, mushrooms andmarinara sauce. But one of the most famous spaghetti dishes is spaghetti carbonara.

Spaghetti chitarra (Spaghetti chitarra)

Description: A special type of pasta that is shaped like spaghetti but with a flatter cross section. And this type is special due to the fact that they are produced using an instrument called a guitar. The instrument is a wooden frame with strings stretched parallel to each other, with which the dough is cut. The instrument was invented in 1890 in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo region in Italy. It is a fresh pasta made from semolina, eggs and salt. They have a porous texture, thanks to which they hold sauces well.

Cooking time:

Dishes: They are usually cooked with lamb stew. In special areas of Abruzzi, a traditional condiment is tomato sauce with veal meatballs (pallottelle).

Spaghettini

Description: A smaller, thinner version of spaghetti. Spaghettini is somewhere between spaghetti and vermicelli.

Cooking time: 5-7 minutes

Dishes: P Served with tomato-based sauces or olive oil.

Stellini (Stellini)

Description: Pasta in the form of tiny stars. The exact region of origin of stellini is a rather controversial topic, but suffice it to say that they have roots in Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Preferably used in soups.

Strozzapreti (Strozzapreti)

Description: Fresh, handmade pasta that looks like a cavatelli in its shape, similar to hot dog buns. But strozzapreti have a slightly more elongated shape and a slight inversion. Characteristicfor the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Marche and Tuscany in Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Usually served with cream or meat sauces.

Schialatelli (Scialatelli)

Description: Schialatelli are similar in appearance to fettuccine or linguine, but shorter in length. Their origin is attributed to the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Served with various types of fish and seafood sauces.

Tagliatelle

Description: Long, flat, ribbon-like strips with a porous structure that can hold sauces well. Tagliatelle is cooked with eggs. Historically comes from the Marche and Emilia-Romagna regions of Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Usually served with pork or beef, as well as mascarpone, bolognese sauce or savory fish sauces.

Taglierini

Description: Taglierini is a long fresh spaghetti-like pasta, 2 to 3 mm wide. In their texture, they are similar to tagliatelle, but thin, like capellini. Traditionally, taglierini is eaten in the areas of Molise and Piedmont. In Piedmont, they are also called Tajarin (Tajarin) and are made from egg dough. dough also contains flour, semolina and salt.

Cooking time:

Dishes:It should be noted that taglierini is often served with butter and truffles or with fried meat sauce.

Tagliolini

Description:Tagliolini is a long, ribbon-like pasta similar to taglierini. Fromregions of Liguria, Marche and Emilia-Romagna.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Tagliolini is usually served with various sauces, one of the most popular is bolognese sauce.

Tonnarelli

Description: Tonnarelli is essentially the same spaghetti kitarra, but the Roman version. They are also made using a special tool with strings for cutting dough.

Cooking time:

Dishes:

Torchetti

Description: This Italian the paste has the shape of a tube shortly cut and curved upwards.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Torchetti is most often paired with bolognese or sausage sauces.

Tortelli

Description: This type of pasta is very similar to ravioli, tortelli are also square in shape and usually stuffed with meat, cheese or mushrooms. Originally from the region of Emilia-Romagna.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Tortelli are often served with bolognese sauce or melted butter.

Tortellini (Tortellini)

Description: Tortellini are small rounded products stuffed with a mixture of meat (pork, ham, etc.) and cheese. Their size is about 25*20 mm and weight is about 2 grams. They originated in the Emilia region in Italy (in particular, in the cities of Modena and Bologna). Outwardly, they resemble the navel, for which they received their second name - ombelico.

Cooking time:

Dishes: They are usually served in beef or chicken broth.

Tortelloni

Description: Tortelloni are similar in appearance to tortellini, but larger in size - 38 * 45 mm and about 5 grams in weight. They are rarely filled with meat, usually with ricotta cheese and various leafy vegetables such as spinach.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Unlike tortellini, tortelloni is usually served without broth.

Tortiglioni

Description: Tortilloni resemble pipes with grooves applied in a slightly diagonal direction. This is important not only for the appearance of the products, but also for the perfect retention of sauces.Originally from Naples.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Ideal in combination with full-bodied sauces of all kinds.

Trenette (Trenette)

Description: Trenette is a dried, narrow, flat pasta commonly associated with the Liguria and Genoa regions of Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Often served with traditional pesto sauce as part of trenette al pesto (trenette al pesto).

Troccoli (Troccoli)

Description: Troccoli is a long fresh pasta similar to spaghetti kitarra, they are also made by hand using a special tool. But if kitarra spaghetti is cut with stretched strings, then troccoli is cut with a special rolling pin with grooves applied across. This device is called troccolo (troccolo) or troccolaturo (troccolaturo), hence the name of the pasta. Troccoli are typical of the Apulia and Basilicata regions.

Cooking time:

Dishes:

Trophy

Description:Trophy is a thin, short, twisted pasta that is usually hand folded into interesting curly shapes.Native to Liguria in northern Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes:Traditional Ligurian trophy served with basil pesto. But they are also eaten accompanied by a light tomato sauce.

Fagottini

Description: Pasta in the form of small bags with filling. Italian dumplings are from Sicily.

Cooking time:

Dishes: The filling is usually vegetables such as green beans, carrots and onions, with olive oil.

Farfalle

Description: Pasta shaped like butterflies. The name is translated from Italian - butterflies. Farfalle comes from the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Dishes: Usually served with light sauces, as well as in salads.

Fettuccine / Fettuccine (Fettuccine)

Description: One of the most popular types of pasta, which, however, has a mysterious origin, as it has many different names in different regions of Italy. They are long, flat, 25 cm long and about 0.84 cm wide.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Dishes: Fettuccine is used in all variations of dishes (cream, cheese, meat, seafood), but fettuccine with alfredo sauce is the most famous.

Filei

Description: They are short spiral products with a hollow section in the middle. They are usually made by rolling irregularly shaped pieces of dough with a thin knitting needle, resulting in a hollow section in the middle. Fillets are often compared to buziate, but in fact they look different. Buziates are clearly spiral-shaped, while sirloins are more like a narrow and elongated version of cavatelli. The sirloins originate from the region of Calabria, which is why they are also often referred to as Calabrian sirloins (Filei calabresi).

Cooking time:

Dishes:

Filini

Description: Small thin vermicelli resembling cat whiskers. Hence the name, translated from Italian means "little cat mustache." They are usually associated with the Puglia region in Italy and

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually added to soups to add thickness.

Foglie d'ulivo - Olive leaves (Foglie d'ulivo)

Description: They are products that resemble olive leaves in shape. Native to the Puglia region of Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with a creamy olive sauce or tomato sauce with basil.

Fregola (Fregola)

Description: This Italian pasta is very similar to Israeli couscous in size and shape. It is made from semolina, very small balls are formed from the dough, 2-3 mm in diameter. Originally from Sardinia.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with shellfish and tomato sauce.

Fricelli (Fricelli)

Description: Fricelli have the shape of rolled tubes and the consistency of dumplings. Originally from Puglia, a region in southern Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with fried eggplant and tomatoes, or with various creamy sauces.

Fusilli (Fusilli)

Description: Long thick products, shaped like a corkscrew. Their origin is attributed to the south of Italy.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Usually served with tomato sauce and cheese

Ziti

Description: Tsiti is a medium-sized tube-shaped paste. The word ziti actually means "bride" in Italian. This pasta is traditionally served at Italian weddings, hence the name.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Dishes:Usually tsiti is combined with a mixture of cheese, meat, sausage, pepper, mushrooms, onions and baked in the oven.

Spätzle

Description: Fresh egg-based pasta is usually round in shape, but when processed by hand, it can be irregular. Unlike most types of pasta, spaetzle originated with the Swabian peoples in southwestern Germany.

Cooking time:

Dishes: Serve as a side dish with butter, gravies or creamy sauces.

Spaghetti is a favorite dish of our compatriots for a long time. Like pasta or, for example, pasta, which is very fashionable today. However, the difference between your favorite spaghetti and pasta is significant, although many people think that they are one and the same. Ideas about pasta among our compatriots are very vague. On the one hand, it seems to be a dish similar to spaghetti, on the other hand, it is a very “foreign” name, which is served only in good establishments. What is called pasta and what is its difference from the usual spaghetti?

What is pasta

Pasta is called absolutely all pasta in foreign languages. Of course, this term also hides the favorite dish of Italians. Tubes of flour at one time to Europe from China were brought by a famous navigator - a Venetian Marco Polo. However, Italy is traditionally considered the birthplace of pasta: probably because the dish has become national here. There are three varieties of pasta: fresh, dry and full. Each has its own unique cooking technology. It is also worth adding that in Italian "pasta" means "dough".

How is pasta different from macaroni and spaghetti?

Pasta, or spaghetti derived from them, is tubular pasta who prepare and wheat dough, dried and kneaded in water. Products differ in shape and size, as a result of which you can find noodles, horns, vermicelli, spaghetti, etc. If the pasta is long but hollow inside, it's not spaghetti yet - it's just long pasta.

Spaghetti can't be hollow inside. According to the technology of preparation, this whole pasta tube. In Italian terminology, maccheroni are short tubular products. The word comes from the Sicilian dialect and literally translates as "processed dough." In our country, this term means all pasta products in general. On the territory of the Russian Empire, the first pasta factory opened in the 18th century.

So, in Europe, pasta is called dough products, which are obtained by mixing flour and water. There are many types of such products. This type also includes pasta. However, in Italy, pasta is exclusively a product that is also produced from durum wheat, which contains a minimum amount of starch and is rich in gluten. These foods are very easily absorbed by the body. They don't get better. The composition of such products includes carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, fiber, as well as vitamins of groups A, B and E.

At the heart of domestic spaghetti, as a rule, is vitreous soft flour, which is cheap: durum wheat flour is relatively expensive. True, recently domestic producers have begun to combine ordinary wheat and durum wheat.

The quality of the products is also improved. However, there are still a lot of products on the pasta market that are produced according to the traditional domestic method, but it does not bring any benefit to the body, moreover, it even contributes to weight gain. The nutritional properties of such products are comparable to ordinary bread. Actually, this is the main difference between pasta and spaghetti or pasta.

It should be borne in mind that each of the products under consideration also has its own shade - Italian pasta can have any. In addition to traditional water and flour, other ingredients are also added to the pasta. For example, paprika which gives the pasta a reddish tint. Spinach will give greenishness, and cuttlefish ink will turn black. The classic pasta made from durum wheat has a yellowish-golden color, but the shade of spaghetti or pasta can be almost white and even grayish. That is, it will not work to cook a classic delicious Italian pasta from such a product, even with a strong desire. The domestic technology for making spaghetti and pasta implies that they stick together, and also have a rich, peculiar taste. That is why spaghetti and pasta cooked according to the classical domestic method are considered only as a side dish for a meat dish.

Compare spaghetti (pasta) and pasta

Compare the features of spaghetti (pasta) and pasta as follows:

1. Pasta in Europe is called all types of pasta. We have all pasta divided into pasta and spaghetti.
2. Pasta is made only from durum wheat, spaghetti is made from any, in particular soft glassy flour.
3. Pasta is very easily absorbed by the body, it contains many trace elements and vitamins. Spaghetti, if they are made from regular flour, contribute to weight gain.
4. The color of the pasta is yellowish-golden, spaghetti can have a different shade.
5. Pasta is suitable both as a side dish and as an independent dish, spaghetti (pasta) is a side dish, and mainly for meat.

Why do Italians call our pasta pasta? What is the difference? And are they different at all? Many people ask similar questions, but the answer is often the same: pasta is an independent dish, very tasty and healthy. But pasta ... it's just useless calories and an incomprehensible taste. What is true here and what is not, let's try to figure it out together with the site Delishis.ru.

A bit of history

I will not go into the intricacies of the origin of the words "pasta" and "pasta" - a lot has been written on this topic. Let me just say that for the first time thin tubes of rice flour came to Europe from China, from where they were brought by the notorious Venetian Marco Polo. But, nevertheless, today many consider Italy to be the birthplace of pasta, and pasta itself is the national dish of Italians. You can't argue with the latter. After all, no other country has such a rich culture of consumption and such a number of recipes for preparing this dish.

Now let's figure out how pasta differs from pasta. In most countries of the world, including Italy, the term “pasta” (from Italian pasta - “dough”) is used to refer to ANY pasta. But "pasta" is just a type of pasta. More precisely - thin and long hollow tubes of dry dough. However, a much more important difference between pasta and pasta, which is familiar to us, is the composition of these products. Italian dry pasta is made exclusively from durum wheat and water. Therefore, it is easily digestible, and fiber, active carbohydrates and useful minerals only improve digestion and metabolism, and therefore have the best effect on health. But “our” pasta is most often made from soft wheat varieties, so they are completely useless and are the main culprits of the well-known myth that pasta spoils the figure. Yes, pasta spoils. Pasta - no. And slender Italians are a vivid proof of this.

By the way, to avoid confusion, I also note that, in addition to hard pasta, there is also the so-called fresh pasta, which is made from soft flour with the addition of eggs. Such a paste is not dried, but boiled immediately, therefore it has a more delicate taste. In any case, pasta, as a rule, is really an independent dish, which is served with sauce. And pasta is just a side dish.

Types of pasta

To dwell on the varieties of pasta in detail is a laborious and somewhat meaningless task. After all, the Italians themselves distinguish more than 500 varieties of pasta, while assuring that "pasta is the architecture of taste." And it is really impossible to know all the subtleties of working with this creative material in an instant. After all, each individual type of pasta requires a special approach to cooking and a specific sauce that emphasizes all the nuances of taste. So, for example, a long pasta (lunga) needs to be cooked in plenty of water so that for every 225 grams of pasta there is 1.7 liters of water, half a teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. But leafy pasta (lasagna or cannelloni) does not require boiling in boiling water at all before filling with filling. Such pasta is saturated with sauce already in the process of baking, so the sauce for it should be more liquid. So, perhaps, the only universal rule for combining sauces with pasta is that the thicker and shorter the product, the thicker the sauce should be.

As for the cooking time of the pasta, it is important to take into account the varieties of wheat that were used to make it. In particular, flour from the South of Italy gives the pasta softness, so it cooks quickly - in 5-7 minutes. On the contrary, wheat pasta from the North of Italy gives the dough elasticity, and such pasta is cooked longer - up to 17 minutes. But much more often, different types of flour are used to make pasta, and in order not to be mistaken with the exact cooking time, you just need to carefully read the label on the package. The finished paste should remain elastic inside. And, to avoid sticking, during cooking, you need to add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil (preferably olive oil). And never rinse with cold water.

Sauce Recipes

Now about the main thing - sauces. After all, it is these irreplaceable helpers that turn pasta into a masterpiece of gastronomic art. First, a few general rules. 1. You need to add components when preparing the sauce, depending on the time of their heat treatment. That is, first, more solid foods, and at the very end - herbs, spices and thickeners. 2. The sauce does not need to be brought to a boil. And you can't reheat. 3. To make the dish perfectly salty, the sauce should seem a bit salty. And one more thing: there are certain products that are used to make almost all pasta sauces. These are: olive oil, grated parmesan cheese, finely chopped garlic (it is not advisable to crush it) and spices: black and chili peppers, nutmeg, basil and oregano.

Creamy mushroom sauce

Ideal for foam - short, obliquely cut pasta

Option 1: Pour 50 g of olive oil into the pan and fry 100 g of chopped champignons or porcini mushrooms in it for 5 minutes with the addition of a clove of garlic. Then add 150 g of cream and 50 g of dry wine. Salt and pepper - to taste. Add grated cheese to the finished pasta with sauce.

Option 2: 200 gr. dried champignons should be poured with a glass of CLEAN boiled water for five minutes, and then put on low heat and cook for 5-7 minutes. After that, the water must be drained and add 3 tbsp to it. tablespoons of thick sour cream and mayonnaise, as well as salt and pepper. Cooked mushrooms should be mixed with chopped garlic and herbs and put in a dry frying pan, where add 50 g of cognac. All this should be boiled over low heat for 7-10 minutes. Then the mushrooms are mixed with sauce and pasta, sprinkled with cheese and herbs.

Broccoli sauce

Suitable for oriketti - products in the form of "ears".

While the pasta (150 grams) is being cooked, fry the onions (50 grams) and carrots (60 grams) in a deep frying pan in olive oil (50 grams). After 5 minutes, add broccoli rosettes (200 g), 1 beef cube and a glass of decoction from the pan with pasta. Salt, pepper - to taste. The sauce is stewed for 15 minutes over low heat under the lid. Then mixed with ready-made pasta and cheese.

Sauce with eggplant

It is ideally combined with fusilli - products twisted in the form of a spiral.

Grind 2 fresh tomatoes in a blender to a puree consistency and transfer to a saucepan. We add there 40 gr of tomato paste, 50 gr. butter, salt and pepper to taste. We cover everything with a lid and cook for 15 minutes on low heat. We cook eggplant separately. Cut into cubes, roll in flour and deep-fry. Put the finished pasta in a pan, add the sauce, eggplant and cheese. We fry for exactly one minute.

Carbonara sauce

Pairs well with long spaghetti.

200 g of brisket or bacon, cut into strips and fried until golden brown in a small amount of olive oil. At the very end, add finely chopped garlic to the meat - 2 cloves. While the pasta is cooking, beat 6 egg yolks and add 4 tbsp. spoons of 10% cream. Drain the cooked pasta into a colander and return to the pot. Immediately pour the yolk with cream there - the eggs should curl up. Then add the sauce and sprinkle generously with pepper and parmesan.

Bolognese sauce

This thick ground beef and tomato sauce is also served with spaghetti.

8 fresh tomatoes cut into cubes (previously scalded with boiling water and peeled). Separately, fry 250 g of ground beef in olive oil with the addition of 100 g of red wine. After the liquid evaporates, mix the minced meat with tomatoes, salt and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes. At the end, add pepper, crushed garlic (2 large cloves), oregano and basil. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Mix with pasta and cheese.

I was prompted to write this article by a question that from time to time and in various variations is asked in the comments on pasta recipes, of which there are already many on this site: can I take pasta instead of pasta, and what is the difference between pasta and pasta? I am sure that many readers, having heard this, chuckled - they say that only beginners can have such questions. I completely agree, and I address this article to them, to beginners. Let's dot the i's for pasta and macaroni.

What is the difference between pasta and pasta?

Pasta (colloquially pasta) is a semi-finished product made from dried dough, which must be boiled before use. In this sense, pasta is not only Italian spaghetti, but also Chinese rice noodles, and Japanese and udon, and domestic vermicelli. Since this is a household name, pasta is sometimes called any noodles in general, not necessarily dried, and in this case, pasta, in addition to the varieties listed above, can be considered German spätzle, Hungarian chipetka, and so on. In a word, just pasta, without clarification - a very broad concept that can be called almost any dough product, except for baking.

Now for the pasta.

It is believed that the Italian pasta comes from the Latin name for dough, which in turn goes back to the Greek word παστά, which was called barley porridge. Accordingly, the pasta itself, as well as the term denoting it, came to us from Italy, where pasta is a favorite national dish: more than 300 varieties of Italian pasta of various shapes and sizes are known. Thus, I would suggest the following definition:

Pasta is pasta made in the Italian tradition and dishes made from it.

Read on the topic:

Why "in the Italian tradition"? Because spaghetti and other pasta made from durum wheat flour (from which most varieties of Italian pasta are produced) have learned to do far not only in Italy. Not so long ago, I compared Russian and Italian spaghetti from the same price segment, and our pasta turned out to be no worse than Italian. Moreover, the Italian names of pasta forms (at least the most common ones) have also taken root with us, so in the store you will find not only domestic spaghetti, but also penne, linguine and tagliatelle, and in some places not only dried, but and fresh.

However, what kind of pasta to choose in the store is a topic for a separate discussion. For now, it’s enough to summarize that when you meet the word “pasta” in the recipe, you can safely use spaghetti or other pasta made from durum wheat at your discretion.

Varieties of pasta - why are there so many of them and who needs it?

I think, having read about the existence of more than three hundred varieties of pasta, many of you were amazed - why are there so many of them? I suppose the answer to this question lies in the field of cultural studies: I have read a rather interesting version that while in other cultures women spent their free time knitting and embroidering, Italian needlework lay closer to the culinary plane. In addition, let's not forget that pasta has been in Italy since time immemorial (the first mention of Italian noodles dates back to 1154), the regions of Italy were divided, each preparing pasta a little differently, which ultimately resulted in a variety of forms. One way or another, in practice, our interest sounds like this: is there a culinary difference between types of pasta, or can you take any?

It turns out there is.

The fact is that when serving pasta accompanied by sauce, pasta of various forms interacts differently with different sauces: for some pasta, a thicker sauce is more suitable, for some it is vice versa. If you try to create something like a compatibility table for pasta and sauces, you get something like this:

Paste shape	Examples	Suitable sauce	Recipe
Long and thin	Spaghetti, linguine	Light sauces with seafood, sauces based on cream or olive
long and wide	Tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccine	Thick sauces with meat
shells	Conchile	Thick cream or meat sauces, larger shells can be stuffed
twisted	Fusilli, trophy, Casarecce	Light and silky sauces that will stick to pasta curves, such as pesto
tubules	penne, rigatoni, pakcheri	Hearty vegetable sauces, cheese casseroles, can also be served with meat sauce
small	Risoni, stelline	Soups, salads, stews
Filled pasta	Ravioli, tortellini, cappelletti	Tomato or cheese sauces, light oil-based sauce

Intelligible? I hope more than that - provided that you still use this table as a recommendation, and do not deny yourself if you suddenly want to cook spaghetti with pesto.

How to cook pasta?

Let's move on to the most burning part of our story - the practical one. The fact is that for all its seeming simplicity, the correct preparation of pasta has its own nuances. Italians who try pasta in most of our restaurants will say that it is overcooked, but to our traveler, pasta in a Roman trattoria, on the contrary, may seem undercooked out of habit. The thing is that in Italy they prefer pasta to the degree of readiness when a slight resistance is still felt inside, as if every spaghetti has a thin string hidden, requiring little effort to bite it. When you get used to such a paste, you will find that it really tastes better than boiled, and in addition it is better digested. Here are some detailed tips on how to cook pasta no matter what sauce you serve it with.

• The classic ratio of ingredients when cooking pasta is very easy to remember: 1000 g of water + 100 g of pasta + 10 g of salt per serving. With proper skill, you can cook pasta in less water, but this proportion is guaranteed to give the pasta enough space to cook evenly and not stick together.
• First bring the water and salt in a large saucepan to a boil over high heat, and only then add the pasta. The water will stop boiling for a while, so let it come back to a boil, after which you can reduce the heat.
• Sometimes it is advised to add a spoonful of olive oil to the water so that the pasta does not stick together, but I do not recommend doing this. Just stir the pasta once every one or two minutes with a long spoon so that it moves freely in the pan and it definitely does not stick together. No need to rinse boiled pasta!
• As mentioned above, Italians cook pasta to the degree of readiness, which they call, which translates as "to the tooth." In order to catch the moment when the pasta is no longer undercooked, but not yet completely cooked, start tasting the pasta 1-2 minutes before the expiration time indicated on the package. As soon as you realize that this is it - immediately drain the water. I will add that the above applies to dried pasta, but not to fresh: it will not be possible to cook it to the state of al dente with all your desire, so just cook according to the instructions on the package.
• At the end of cooking the pasta, scoop up a ladle or two of the water in which it was boiled and save it - you will need it to thin the sauce if it turns out that it turned out to be too thick. Unlike ordinary water, such water will not make the sauce watery due to the starch that has been boiled into it from the pasta.
• If you have prepared the sauce in an appropriately sized saucepan, add the pasta to the sauce, not the other way around. Otherwise, the pasta can be combined with the sauce in the same pan where it was just cooked.
0

Sauce or a dish of both? We will try to answer this question in this article. We will tell you about the origin of pasta and its triumphant march around the world after the discovery of America and the invention of the spaghetti machine. The very word "paste" is familiar to Russian people. But the most common refinement to the term immediately comes to mind: dental. The dictionary gives us the definition of "paste". This is the name of a homogeneous mushy mass of a rather dense consistency, in which the content of solids, ground into powder, exceeds twenty percent. This characteristic is met by toothpaste and tomato paste. But this is not a pasta that has a similar etymology, but nothing more. The term, which later began to denote a flour dish with sauce, appeared in the Renaissance, when Greek chefs prepared for Italian patricians. And the etymology of this pasta goes back to the Hellenic word "pastos", which simply means flour sauce. In late Latin, pasta is simply "dough".

Pasta and noodles - for whom is the palm?

Pasta is that rare case when the name appeared much later than the dish itself. It is believed that pasta was brought home to Venice by Marco Polo from his travels in China. It was rice noodles, which allegedly served as a model for the wheat analogue - Italian pasta. The Chinese, as evidence of their historical superiority, present a bowl with this petrified dish, found in the tomb of a man who lived four thousand years ago. But it must be said that since the time when people learned to cultivate cereals, such food has been observed in different cultures. At first it was flour mixed with water, which was dried in the sun. Something similar to spaghetti appears in the images on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. And in the cookbook of the first century AD, we find a recipe for a dish similar to fish lasagne. In medieval Italy, even before Mark Polo, "pasta" was known. The etymology of this word comes from the verb maccare - knead, knead. Martino Corno, who lived in the eleventh century and served as a cook for a high-ranking Roman prelate, left us with the oldest documented recipe for cooking a dish that is now called "pasta". It was a dessert when the pasta was boiled in almond milk and seasoned with sweet spices.

The popularity of pasta

It begs a legitimate question. If the dough products already had a term (pasta), then why was it necessary to duplicate it and call it “pasta”? Or is it like "bread" and "bakery"? And most importantly: where does the term come from, which refers us to "a homogeneous mushy mass of dense consistency"? Why is pasta a pasta? The answer lies in the sauce. Pasta in Italy is often called products that have a hole inside. Until the nineteenth century, they were considered a delicacy. They were boiled in milk, seasoned with butter, cheese and sweet spices. After the discovery of America, tomatoes appeared on the tables of Europeans. For some time, the fruits of the nightshade culture were treated with caution. But in Sicily, poor peasants decided to take a chance and, simmering tomatoes with basil and garlic for a long time in a pan, invented an excellent "salsa di pomodoro". And when Cesare Spadacchini invented the pasta machine (it looks like a meat grinder), pasta became very accessible to the general population.

How is pasta different from pasta?

What we sell under the guise of vermicelli is completely unsuitable for preparing an exquisite flour dish with sauce. After all, pasta is Italian cuisine. And the pasta for the dish should be appropriate. They are made from flour, which is obtained from the grinding of durum wheat grains. Such cereals ripen in areas with an appropriate Italian climate. When buying pasta, you need to look for the inscription SEMOLA on the label. Products made from such flour will remain a little hard, they will not boil into porridge, and in a colander they will not stick together in one lump. They do not need to be washed - this is nonsense, according to Italian housewives. Indeed, from cold water, real pasta will become too “tight” to taste. Any pasta, unlike our vermicelli, has microscopic grooves on its surface. This ensures that the sauce stays on the pasta instead of slipping off.

Types of Italian noodles

So, we found out that pasta is both Italian pasta and dishes from them. And this category also includes lasagna. Pasta is called wide layers of dough for cooking this dish. In the town of Pontedassio, not far from Genoa, in a special pasta museum, a notarial deed dated February 4, 1279 is stored, confirming the existence of a dough product already in those days. Maybe the Chinese invented noodles, but it acquired such a variety of forms only on Italian soil. It seems, what difference does it make whether the pasta is straight and thin (spaghetti), curved with worms (vermicelli), curved with spirals (cavatappi), in the form of butterflies (farfalle) or shells (conchigli)? Italians believe that form is of paramount importance. Each type of pasta has its own sauces. And some are served as an appetizer - for example, cannelloni (large pipes) or conchiglioni (huge shells). These types of pasta are stuffed with cheese, spinach or minced meat and baked with sauce.

Application in Italian cuisine

But to say that pasta = pasta will not be entirely true. We have already mentioned that lasagna is included in this category. But she is not alone. We can say that all cuisines in the preparation of which boiled dough is involved are called pasta. And this means that the analogue of our dumplings too. In Italy, there are several types of them - also of different shapes and the most inconceivable fillings. The most common are ravioli - square dumplings, inside which you can find anything - from smoked salmon to chocolate. And then there are capelets, which means "hats" in translation, and agliolotti. Depending on the size and shape of pasta, they are used in different dishes. For example, pastas called acini di pepe (pepper grains) and orzo (rice) are added to soups and salads. There are pasta that are used mainly for casseroles (ziti, capellini). If we ask an Italian the question: “Is pasta pasta or sauce?”, He will find it difficult to answer. There is a tradition of making certain types of noodles with certain gravies. Some pastas are served with a creamy sauce, while others are made exclusively with tomato sauce.

Color spectrum

Natural have a juicy golden hue. But the Italians are a people with a never-ending culinary fantasy. For them, pasta is "the art of living beautifully." That is why they add various natural dyes to pasta dough. So, dried and grated tomatoes make the paste red, beets - pink, bell peppers or carrots - orange, spinach - green. Anthracite-colored pasta seems especially spectacular on the table. Cuttlefish ink makes them so. Naturally, natural color additives affect the taste of pasta.

How to cook pasta

First, dough products need to be welded. This action must be carried out in parallel with the preparation of the sauce, so that both ingredients of the dish ripen to the table at the same time. So, put a large pot of water on the fire. When it boils, salt and pour a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Throwing pasta. Stir with a wooden spoon so that the products do not stick to the bottom of the pan or stick to each other. We don’t break long spaghetti - this is barbarism. Just dip one edge into boiling water, the dough will soften, and everything else will also go under water. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the products and is usually indicated on the packaging. But you can not blindly trust what is written. Italians believe that pasta should be cooked to al dente. In translation, it means "to the tooth." Here we try the fished pasta with them. If it bites well, but there is a white dot in the middle, then it's ready. Dump the pasta into a colander. In no case do not wash it - it will completely spoil the taste of the dish.

cooking sauce

Now let's pay attention to the second component of the dish called "Italian pasta". Recipes, implemented at home, give us about three hundred types of different sauces. But there is one golden rule: the thicker and shorter the pasta, the thicker the gravy should be. Another note: the finished dish is usually sprinkled with parmesan, but the exception is pasta with fish or seafood. As for sauces, each region of Italy has its own, special ones. In the north of the country, meat, mushrooms are put in the gravy, and on the islands - fish, seafood. Outside of Italy, about five types of sauces are used - bolognese, carbonaria ... But the main delicacy of an authentic pasta sauce is "pesto a la genovese". Heat olive oil in a frying pan, put basil leaves and half a head of garlic. Then the spices that gave off the aroma are removed. Mediterranean pine nuts and sliced ​​sheep's cheese are dipped in oil.

How Italian pasta is served

Recipes (at home, as we see, it is quite possible to make such a dish on your own) provide that both ingredients of the dish - pasta and sauce - must be cooked at the same time. If the gravy is complex and requires a long thermal treatment (for example, with mushrooms), then it needs to be done earlier. By the way, this gravy is perfect for penne (feathers) - cut diagonally and short pasta. We heat the olive oil (50 g) and fry for five minutes one hundred grams of porcini mushrooms or champignons, cut into pieces. Pour in a quarter cup of white wine and 150 ml of cream. Salt and pepper the sauce. Warm up the plate. I put pasta in it. Top with sauce. Put grated parmesan cheese next to it for sprinkling.