11 Different Types Of Pasta
Lately, I have been on a whole wheat pasta kick. Surprisingly, it is much better than you would think! I have found that the trick is that just before it’s completely done, drain the majority of the water (I just use the lid to drain instead of breaking out the strainer) and mix it in with the sauce. By letting it finish cooking this way, the noodles soak up the flavor of the sauce, and I can’t even tell if I am missing out on anything!
For some reason this morning, pasta crossed my mind and I thought, “Why are there so many types of pasta and are they used for different things?” So, off to Google Land I went. But, here’s the thing… The first two things that came up, were almost EXACTLY the same exact wording. Now, I know from writing blogs for work that there is a percentage you can get away with, but I prefer to write my own words. So, because I am nosy and want to know WHY, I kept researching for even more in depth information.
Would you put spaghetti noodles in Mac & Cheese? No way! But, WHY??? Because, we want the shell that holds all that ooey gooey goodness, so it makes perfectly good sense that different types of pasta, due to the thickness, texture, and shape, will be beneficial to different types of sauces. But, how was this all discovered of what noodle goes best with what sauce? One theory explains it as this ~ Italians appreciate and love artistry in all aspects of their lives. Doesn’t that make you have this wistful feeling? Then there is this theory that will make you think of your own Grandma and her cooking or quilting ~ Old Italian women didn’t spend time making every family member a new quilt, they perfected their slow cooked meals and passed that down.
Are you ready for your pasta lesson? FYI – from the website (SwimmingWithTheRain.com), you can print this out for reference.
Angel Hair (Capelli d’angelo) has the clue in its common name… It is more delicate and cannot hold the chunky sauces. Great for soups, oil based sauces, or my personal favorite – Shrimp Scampi!
Cavatappi has tight spirals that pull in flavor, which is why it is generally referred to as “Corkscrew”. Suggested to use in thicker sauces, with chunks of meat and vegetables, which can get “caught” in the spirals. A great idea for pasta salads, too!
Elbow Macaroni isn’t just for your kid’s art projects! This pasta is used with sauce, baked dishes, soups, macaroni salad… Probably one of the most versatile and popular.
Farafelle or better known as Bowtie Pasta, is one of my favorites. Why? It looks fun! It is a thicker noodle that can hold its own with a variety of sauces, but is perfect to mix with vegetables of the same size. The next time you are making a creamy type of sauce, use this and see if you can notice how the sauce sneaks in to the center.
Fettuccine ~ Long cut and flat, generally used with heavy cream sauce. For instance, Fettuccine Alfredo with it’s heavy cream, thick chicken cuts and vegetables.
How do you say “little tongues” in Italian? Linguine! It’s not as wide as fettuccine or as round as spaghetti or as thick as fettuccini, so it is perfect for the lighter sauces such as pesto, or white wine and Shrimp (my favorite).
Orzo seems to be gaining popularity these days. Larger than rice, it would be lost in a normal sauce, so it is best used in soup when needing to add in some “bulk”, or by itself with some butter and parmesan cheese.
I have to admit that the first time I had Penne Pasta in my mid-20’s, I felt like I was in the “high class” life. I had never heard of such a thing and fell in love with the way the Alfredo flowed inside the pasta and stuck to the ridges. This is why the edges are cut diagonal (main difference between Ziti and Penne). Try not to use as chunky of a sauce so that the mixture can move through the tubes.
Rigatoni is similar to Penne but is slightly larger, and instead of an angled opening, it is simply round. With the space being even more hollow, you can use the chunkier version of sauces.
Conchiglie or let’s just call it what it is ~ Shells! These can be used for Mac & Cheese, soups, cold pasta salads or one of my favorites if you buy the large variety ~ Stuffed Shells.
Spaghetti… Does it really need an explanation? Typically served with tomato sauce, but it is really the most versatile of all pastas. Thick enough it doesn’t get overpowered by a traditional meat sauce, but thin enough to mix with some olive oil, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. So, go ahead and swirl that fork around and around!
Now that your taste buds are heightened, remember that the concept is to have the perfect balance of pasta and sauce. While some pasta lends an aesthetic look to the meal, they each serve a purpose to compliment the sauce and the type of meal you are preparing. Just remember, thinner sauces go with thinner noodles, and heartier noodles go with chunkier sauces.
Or better yet, you do you! Just enjoy your meal and be proud of the creation you have made!
