Which of the following pasta products is the largest? Types of pasta and their names

All types of Italian pastas are made from unleavened dough and cooked in liquid (water or broth), which is how they differ from other types of flour products. At the same time, there is a strict classification according to the type of preparation and composition of the dough. Dry pasta (pasta secca) is made, as a rule, from the simplest dough: semolina flour (coarsely ground durum wheat - semolo di grano duro) is kneaded with water (not an ounce of salt!) mechanically, since it is almost impossible to do this manually. Also, various products are mechanically formed from the dough, which, after drying, can be stored for many months and even years.

Dry pasta, in turn, is divided into long (lunga, for example spaghetti), short (corta or tagliata, for example penne), small products (pastina or minestrina), intended for seasoning soups and broths (for example, stars (stelle)).

Dry pasta is most typical of Southern Italy, where once “pasta” hung on special stands were dried by the sea breeze. Raw or fresh pasta (pasta fresca), often called “egg” (pasta all"uovo), is made from soft wheat flour with the addition of eggs or egg powder. The dough is kneaded (can be done by hand), and then also by hand (or using simple devices) are formed to be cooked immediately or frozen. Most often, this type belongs to pasta with filling - such as ravioli or tortellini. Raw pasta is more typical for Northern Italy.

Nowadays, there are dozens of types of pasta, many of which are only suitable for a certain sauce or dish. Often recipes contain unfamiliar names for pasta, and you want to know what they really look like and what they are eaten with. This is why we have selected and described the 30 most popular types of pasta. If you come across an unfamiliar type of noodles or hollow pasta, look at our table; any pasta from the same category can replace it.

Long straight pasta

Capellini (capellini) makarka

Long, round and very thin. They are sometimes also called "angel hair". Only consumed hot. Served with light sauces, broths or simply mixed with olive oil and boiled vegetables.

Vermicelli (vermicelli)
Long, round, thinner than spaghetti. In Italian their name means "little worms". Consumed hot, sometimes cold. Served with light sauces or broken and mixed with vegetable salads.

Linguine (linguine)
Long, flat and narrow, slightly longer than spaghetti. Their name is translated from Italian as “small tongues.” Consumed hot, sometimes cold. Large enough to serve with thick sauces such as marinara sauce.

Spaghetti (spaghetti)
The most popular pasta in the world: long, round, of medium thickness. Their name translates as “small ropes”. Only served hot. Used with tomato sauces or in casseroles.

Fettuccine
Long, flat ribbons and wider than linguine, but can be substituted for linguine in all recipes. Only served hot. Used with thick sauces, especially good with creamy sauces.

Lasagna (lasagna)
Long and very wide, can be with straight edges or curly. A casserole using them is called exactly the same. Only served hot. They are placed in a mold in layers, coating each layer with thick tomato or cream sauce, and baked.

Curly and twisty macarons

Rotini (spirals)
Very short spirals that look like springs made from spaghetti. Served hot or cold. Used with very thick chunky sauces or in pasta salads.

Fusille (fusilli)
Longer than rotini, also curled. In Italian their name means "little wheels". There are different types: short and thick, short and thin, long and thin. Served hot or cold. There are so many uses: with almost all sauces, in soups or in pasta salad.

Pappardelle (egg noodles)
Wide long noodles. One of the few traditional types of Tuscany. They can be bought fresh (then they are cooked for just a couple of minutes) or dry. Served hot, in baked dishes, with thick sauces.

Tagliatelle (tagliatelle - egg noodles)
Same width as fettuccine or linguine, but not as flat. Classic Emilia-Romagna pasta. Served hot. Used in casseroles and soups.

Hollow pasta

Ditalini (ditalini)
Small, very short tubes, their name means “thimble” in Italian. Served hot or cold. Used in soups or pasta salads.

Elbow macaroni (horns)
Curved, hollow cones that are traditionally used to make macaroni cheese. Served hot or cold. Used in baked dishes or in pasta salads.

Perciatelli (pechutelle)
Long, thin, straight tubes, thicker than spaghetti. Served hot. Use them instead of spaghetti with ragu sauce, other meat sauces and baked eggplant.

Ziti
Arched tubes, but wider and longer than elbow macaroni. There is also a short version called cut ziti. Served hot or cold. Used baked, in pasta salads, with thick sauces.

Penne (penne)
Straight, medium-length tubes, often with lateral grooves. They are also sometimes called mostaccioli. Their diagonal cut resembles a fountain pen, which is why they get their name. Served hot. Used in soups, baked, with any sauces.

Rigatoni (rigatoni)
Long, short tubes, wider than penne, but also with grooves. Used with various sauces: thick creamy sauces are well retained in the grooves on the sides.

Cannelloni (cannelloni)
Large, long tubes, like manicotti, but larger; translated from Italian - “large reed”. Serve hot. They are usually stuffed with meat fillings and baked with sauce.

Manicotti (manicotti)
Longer and wider than penne, they can be grooved. Manicotti is also the name of the dish itself when this particular pasta is used, as in the case of lasagna. Consumed hot. Served stuffed with meat or cheese fillings.

Other shapes of pasta

Alphabets (alphabet)
In the shape of small letters of the alphabet, one of the most favorite children's pasta. Serve hot. Used in soups.

Аnelli (anelli)
Small rings. Serve hot. Used in soups.

Farfalle (Bow Tie Pasta, bows)
Square pieces of paste gathered in the center to form a bow; their name is translated from Italian as “butterflies”. Serve hot. Used in soups with cereals, such as buckwheat, and in other dishes.

Conchiglie
Shells with a long and narrow cavity. In Italian, their name means "clam shell." They come in different sizes. Serve hot or cold. Used in soups, baked and added to pasta salads.

Conchiglioni
They look like ordinary shells (conchiglie), but are noticeably larger. They are served in different ways, very impressively, hot. You can stuff it (try, for example, a mixture of ricotta, pine nuts and spinach).

Orzo (orzo)
Both in size and shape they resemble rice, translated from Italian as “barley”. Served hot. They are used as a side dish, in soups, and in vegetable salads.

Radiator
With grooves and grooves, like a radiator. Served hot, but can also be enjoyed cold. Good with thick creamy sauces, soups and salads, including fruit ones.

Ruote
In the shape of cart wheels. Served hot. Used in soups, goulash, salads and thick sauces.

Pasta colorata (colored pasta)
Many of the pastas listed above come in other bright colors. They are made with the addition of food coloring. Popular food additives include egg (egg pasta, or pasta all'uovo), spinach (green pasta, or pasta verde), tomatoes, beets (purple pasta, or pasta viola), carrots (red pasta, or pasta rossa), winter squash (orange pasta, or pasta arancione), squid ink (black pasta, or pasta pega), truffles (truffle pasta, or pasta al tartufo) and chili Served hot or cold.

And water by mixing, various methods of molding and drying.

Classification and assortment

All pasta products are divided into groups A, B, C; grades (highest, first, second). The designations of pasta products made using additional raw materials are supplemented with the appropriate name, for example, premium egg noodles.

The type of product is determined by the type of flour. The standard provides for the production of premium pasta (from premium flour - semolina), first grade (from first grade flour - semi-cereal), second grade (from second grade flour - semi-cereal).

The range of pasta products is very diverse. Along with regular products, the following types of pasta are produced:

higher egg; higher egg with increased egg content;
first and highest grade tomatoes;
dairy products of the first and highest grades with the addition of cow's milk, whole dry skimmed cow's milk;
cottage cheese of the first and highest grades;
fortified first and highest grades;
fast-cooking;
pasta with vegetables;
products with dry yeast or yeast extract;
products with soy flour;
products with fish protein concentrate.

Pasta for special purposes produced, for example, for baby and diet food:

small (in the form of grains) products of increased biological value for baby food made from premium flour with the addition of caseite, iron glycerophosphate, vitamins B1, B2 and PP;
protein-free products (in the form of noodles) for medical nutrition and for children requiring a hypoprotein and gluten-free diet; produced from a mixture of corn starch with the addition of vitamins;
products for second courses. The formed noodles are passed through an oil bath or sprayed with oil, then dried at 70-130 °C. In such noodles, fat does not oxidize for 6 months. It has high nutritional value and does not stick together when finished;
products for long-term storage. Fresh products are packaged in heat-resistant bags and irradiated on both sides with infrared rays at 100-160 °C for 3-4 minutes. In this way, the products are sterilized and their shelf life increases.

In addition to varietal differences, the product classification divides pasta into types, and types into subtypes.

The entire range of pasta products is divided by regulatory documentation into four types: tubular products, thread-like, tape-shaped, curly.

Each type of pasta is divided into subtypes.

TO tubular products There are three subtypes - pasta, horns, feathers.

Pasta is divided into the following types: ordinary (diameter 5.6-7 mm), ordinary corrugated (diameter 5.6-7 mm), special (diameter 4.0-5.5 mm), special corrugated (diameter 4.0-5 .5 mm), amateur (with a diameter of more than 7 mm), amateur corrugated (with a diameter of more than 7 mm), straws (with a diameter of up to 4 mm).

The length of short pasta is 15-30 cm, long pasta is more than 30 cm.

Horns are short-cut tubular products, slightly curved, the length along the outer curve is from 1.5 to 5 cm. Horns come in the following types: ordinary (5.6-7 mm in diameter), special (4.1-5.56 mm in diameter) , straws (up to 4.1 mm in diameter), for minced meat (20 ± 3 mm in diameter).

Feathers are short-cut tubular products with an oblique cut and a length from an acute angle to a blunt cut from 3 to 10 cm. They produce the following types: amateur (with a diameter of more than 7 mm), ordinary (with a diameter of 5.6-7 mm) and special (with a diameter of 4 ,1-5.56 mm).

TO thread-like products include web vermicelli (with a cross-section of no more than 0.8 mm), ordinary (with a cross-section of no more than 0.9-1.5 mm) and amateur (with a cross-section from 1.6 to 3.5 mm).

Tape-shaped products primarily include noodles that are available as smooth, corrugated, sawtooth, wavy, etc. The dimensions of the noodles are arbitrary, but the width of the tape must be at least 3 mm and the thickness no more than 2 mm. Noodles are produced narrow (up to 7.0 mm inclusive) and wide (from 7.1 to 25.0 mm).

Figured products are divided into the following types: alphabet and figures measuring 8x2x10 mm; ears and bows; shells of various sizes (diameter up to 30 mm and wall thickness no more than 1.2 mm); sprockets, gears, rings (diameter 10 mm and thickness 1.55 mm); cereals and grains of rice type (with a diameter of no more than 3 mm and a length of no more than 10 mm); squares, triangles and other shaped plates (thickness no more than 1.2 mm, side of a square, triangle no more than 12 mm); Bolognese stamping products (plate sizes from 10x10 to 50x50 mm, thickness from 0.7 to 1.5 mm).

In the above classification list, their shape is taken as a sign for the division of pasta. Often other characteristics are used, for example, technological characteristics, size, cross-sectional nature, etc.

Depending on the method of formation a distinction is made between pressed and stamped products. Figured products are stamped, the rest are obtained by pressing.

Depending on the length pasta is divided into long (from 20 to 40-50 cm), short and short-cut (from 1.5 to 20 cm), soup filling (in the form of thin flat and shaped slices 1-3 mm thick).

Depending on the laying method before drying pasta is divided into straight (all hang-dried products), loose (all short-cut products and soup fillings that are dried in bulk), skeins and bows (vermicelli and specially laid out noodles).

The range of pasta products is constantly expanding.

Pasta products are characterized by high nutritional value and good digestibility. They contain at least 11 - 12% protein, 70-72% carbohydrates (mainly starch), 13% moisture and 0.5-0.7% fat, the content of minerals and fiber that are not absorbed by the body is insignificant.

The nutritional value

The main consumer advantages of pasta are:

high nutritional value, since they are made from the best quality wheat flour with a high protein content and a minimal amount of minerals;
high digestibility of proteins (86%), fats (90%) and carbohydrates (98%);
culinary advantages - speed and ease of preparation (cooking time for small products is about 5 minutes, thick-walled ones - 15-20 minutes).

Nutritional value and consumer benefits depend on the variety and composition and the fortifiers used.

Factors shaping quality

Main raw materials For the production of pasta, special pasta flour, premium and first grade baking flour containing at least 28% gluten and water are used.

TO additional raw materials include: enrichment additives - eggs, egg products, whole and powdered milk, etc.; flavoring and aromatic additives - vegetable and fruit juices; vitamin preparations - B 1, B 2, PP; improvers - surfactants used to give pasta specific organoleptic and physicochemical properties.

Production process pasta products are currently carried out on an automatic production line and consist of the operations of preparing raw materials, kneading, dough processing (crushing and rolling), molding (shaped products are pressed, stamped, noodles are made manually), drying, resting (stabilization), sorting and packaging.

Quality of pasta largely depends on proper drying. Slow drying leads to souring and molding, fast drying leads to cracking, uneven coloring without glassy fracture and unsatisfactory cooking properties. Short-cut products are dried for 20-90 minutes at a temperature of 50-70 °C, long-cut products - for 16-40 minutes at a temperature of 30-50 °C.

Quality control pasta products are produced according to organoleptic and physico-chemical indicators in accordance with the requirements of the standard.

Organoleptic indicators - color, surface condition, shape, taste and smell, condition after cooking and broken appearance.

The color of pasta should be uniform with a creamy or yellowish tint. A whitish or grayish color indicates defective raw materials, a violation of the pressing or drying process.

The fracture of pressed products should be glassy. A white flour break indicates defects in the raw materials or processing of the dough.

The surface should be smooth, polished or slightly matte. Roughness of products is undesirable, although it disappears during cooking.

The taste and smell of dry and cooked products should be without any peculiarities: there should be no bitterness or high acidity, musty or moldy smell or any other foreign tastes and odors.

The condition after cooking is the most important indicator of pasta. Pasta cooked for 10-20 minutes should increase in volume by at least 2 times, retain its shape well, be soft, elastic, not stick together, and not form lumps. Another important property associated with cooking is dry matter retention.

The form must be correct, corresponding to the name of the product.

Physico-chemical quality indicators - humidity, acidity, strength and scrap content (for pasta), crumb content, metal impurities, absence of barn pests. Based on the data obtained, a conclusion is made about.

Pasta is the basis of traditional Italian cuisine and one of the most popular dishes in the world. Pasta is made from unleavened dough with wheat flour, and it comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and names. The most daring experts claim that there are more than 600 types of pasta in the world.

In any case, it would be simply impossible to describe all its varieties in one article, so we decided to reduce the list to the 25 most important and popular ones, which you may not have heard of. Warning: Have a snack before viewing this post - these photos may leave your stomach begging for food.

1. Manicotti.

These are very large tubes, usually grooved, which are stuffed with a wide variety of fillings (seafood, meat, vegetables), and then baked, topped with traditional Italian white bechamel sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmesan. Despite its large size, manicotti is a fairly light (and tasty) dish.

2. Bucatini.

Bucatini is a thick, spaghetti-shaped pasta with a hole in the center. These 25-30 cm long tubes are usually boiled for 9 minutes and then served with butter sauces, pancetta (bacon) or guanciale, vegetables, cheese, eggs and anchovies or sardines.

3. Tagliatelle.

Tagliatelle are long, flat “ribbons” made from eggs. They have a spongy and coarse texture, making them ideal for Italian sausages made from beef, veal, pork or rabbit. Another popular version of tagliatelle is served with truffles, olives and vegetables.

4. Ravioli.

Traditionally, they are prepared at home. These are a kind of dumplings. They are usually square in shape, although round and semicircular ones are also found. The type of filling varies depending on the region. In Rome, for example, ravioli is stuffed with ricotta, spinach, nutmeg and black pepper. In Sardinia they are stuffed with ricotta and grated lemon rind.

5. Gemelli.

Translated from Italian, this name means “twins”. This is a rolled pasta that is usually served with light sauces (like pesto) that remain on the spirals. Gemelli are sometimes called “unicorn horns.” It is an ideal choice for salad or various types of tomato sauces.

6. Farfalle.

Farfalle translates to “butterflies” in Italian and is one of the most popular types of pasta. They can be of different sizes, but always have a clear butterfly shape. Although almost any sauce goes well with them, farfalle is best served with creamy and tomato based ones. Farfalle comes in a variety of varieties - regular, tomato, and with spinach. Usually different varieties are sold together in one package, resembling the color of the national flag of Italy.

7. Fettuccine.

This name translates as “little ribbons.” These are flat thick noodles made from eggs and flour. They are similar to tagliatelle, but slightly wider. Particularly popular in Roman cuisine. Fettuccine is often eaten with beef or chicken stew. However, the most popular dish with this type of pasta is Fettuccine Alfredo, which consists of fettuccine, Parmesan and butter.

This type of pressed paste, with six "petals" surrounding the center, resembles a flower. Often used with salads, but also goes well with meat, fish or tomato-based sauces.

9. Cannelloni.

Translated as “big reed”. It is a cylindrical type of pasta that is usually served baked with filling and topped with sauce. Popular fillings include spinach and ricotta or chopped beef. Typically, tomato sauce (bottom) and bechamel (top) are used with this pasta.

10. Ditalini.

Ditalini resemble very short pasta in the shape of small tubes. This type of pasta is typical of Sicilian cuisine. They are usually a main ingredient in salads due to their small size, but they are also added to soups. In main dishes, ditalini is usually served with ricotta and broccoli.

11. Rotini.

Do not confuse them with the fusilli, which are very similar in appearance. Rotini is a type of pasta shaped like a spiral, or a corkscrew if you will. Due to their unique texture, rotini adds more flavor and flavor to a dish by absorbing more sauce. They are often served with pesto, carbonara or tomato-based sauces.

12. Linguine.

These are long, flat noodles, wider than spaghetti and about the same size as fettuccine. They first appeared in Genoa and are served with pesto or seafood. Linguine is typically available in both white flour and whole wheat varieties.

13. Conchiglie.

They are usually simply called "shells" because of their distinctive shape. Particularly popular in Britain. This type of paste comes in a variety of colors and is colored using natural dyes such as tomato extract, squid ink or spinach extract.

14. Radiators.

Radiators are small short pastas named after radiators. This unusual shape is meant to maximize surface area for better adhesion. This shape makes the paste great for thick sauces, but can also be found in casseroles, salads and soups.

This is a thick, long pasta that first appeared in the province of Siena in Tuscany. The dough is rolled into a thick, flat sheet, cut into strips, and then rolled by hand into tiny long cylinders, slightly thinner than a regular pencil. Pichi is served with a variety of dishes, including garlic and tomato sauce, mushroom sauce, stews and various types of meat.

16. Garganelli.

This is a type of egg-based pasta that is famous for taking a very long time to cook. Garganelli is rolled into tubes resembling pene. This type of pasta is typical of Bolognese cuisine and is also often served with duck ragù.

17. Vermicelli.

Translated, the word “vermicelli” means “little worms.” This is a traditional type of long thin pasta, similar to spaghetti and well known to all our compatriots. Although it is one of the most traditional types of Italian pasta, some Asian countries have their own versions of this dish made from rice flour. Vermicelli goes great with seafood.

18. Cavatappi.

Cavatappi are wrapped spiral tubes that resemble rolled pasta. This is an ideal choice for a cold salad, in addition, this type of pasta goes well with both light and thick sauces.

19. Tortellini.

Tortellini first appeared in the Italian region of Emilia. These are ring-shaped pasta with filling inside. They are usually filled with minced meat (pork, prosciutto), cheese and vegetables (spinach), and served with beef or chicken broth. Tortellini is one of the most common types of pasta.

20. Pappardelle.

These are large and very wide pasta. When raw, they are 2-3 cm wide and may have grooved edges. Pappardelle comes from the Tuscany region and goes well with tomato and meat sauces, and is also served with mushrooms, Parmesan or ragu.

21. Fusilli Bucati.

As the name suggests, this pasta is a mixture of fusilli and bucatini pasta. From fusilli it gets its characteristic spiral shape, and from bucatini it gets its length and hollow center. Suitable for almost all types of sauces.

22. Lasagnette.

Of course, you know lasagna - one of the most popular types of pasta in the whole world, but few people know that there is a smaller version of this Italian dish called lasagnette. It can be served in two forms - layered on top of another with different ingredients in between (like regular lasagna) or simply placed on a plate with other ingredients.

23. Strignozzi.

Translated as “shoe laces.” It is a long, thin, spaghetti-like pasta typical of the Umbria region of Italy. The pasta is made by hand and is usually served with black truffles, meat stew, mushroom or tomato sauce, etc.

24. Risoni.

Also known as risi. It resembles rice in both shape and size. Due to its small size, it is usually served in mugs, but also pairs well with salads and stews. Comes in a wide variety of flavors and colors, such as spinach, peppers and sundried tomatoes.

25. Paccheri.

This type of pasta comes from Campania and Calabria. Paccheri are very large tubes. Usually smooth, but there is also a grooved version called paccheri millerigue. This type of pasta can be served with bolognese and other sauces or, due to its large size, stuffed with cheese, seafood or meat and baked.

Cellentani and manicotti, caserecce and pipe rigate, mafaldine and stelline, soba and udon, saifun and bifun, chuzma and nuasyr - for those who treat pasta “calmly”, this is just a set of foreign words. For a true lover, this is a story about what types of pasta there are in different countries.

Today, unlike in former times, a wide variety of pasta products are presented on the shelves of shops and supermarkets. The photo below shows only a small amount of pasta, varied in shape, variety and type.

Where and when did pasta appear?

No culinary historian can name the exact date when pasta appeared in people’s diets. Today, there are hypotheses about the primacy of the Etruscans, Chinese and Arabs in the matter of the invention of pasta.

Having carefully studied the bas-reliefs of the Etruscan necropolis dating back to the 4th century BC. BC, historians have come to the conclusion that they depict utensils used to make pasta.

According to another theory, modern history begins in the 13th century, when Marco Polo returned to Venice from China. However, as early as the mid-12th century, most of Sicily's exports consisted of pasta secca. That is, even half a century before the return of the great traveler from China, Italians were already making different types of pasta.

Other historians argue that the priority in the discovery of pasta, or rather this type of noodles, belongs to China, where it was prepared even before the advent of our era. Despite the fact that there is no exact information about when and where pasta appeared, people living in many different countries and belonging to different cultures and nationalities enjoy eating it.

“National” characteristics of pasta

In the cuisine of many nations there are a variety of types of pasta and dishes in which they are used in one form or another.

For Europeans, the most beloved and familiar types are pasta made from wheat flour. They can be of various widths, lengths and shapes.

Most Asians, including the Chinese, prefer pasta made from rice flour. These are mainly types of pasta such as various lengths and widths, translucent or white.

In Japan, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and some provinces of China, long noodles, which are pulled in a special way, are very popular. In Asia it is called “chuzma” and is used to prepare lagman.

In Japan, they happily prepare a wide variety of pasta products from a variety of types of flour. Thus, it is very popular, made from a mixture of buckwheat and rice flour and used in the preparation of many dishes. A special type of noodle is prepared from the starch of legumes - saifun.

In Arab countries, such types of pasta as reshta and noisir are popular.

For a long time, culinary experts from different parts of the world have been perfecting the art of making pasta and creating new recipes. Let's look at what pasta is like.

Russian classification of pasta

Pasta products can be systematized according to various criteria and, above all, depending on the raw materials used in the manufacturing process. Pasta is in most cases made from wheat flour, but can also be made from rice, rye and corn starch.

According to Russian standards, pasta products made from wheat flour, depending on the varieties of wheat, are divided into the following groups: A, B, C. In addition, the grade of flour is the basis for distinguishing three grades of pasta - premium, first and second.

Group A usually includes pasta made from flour of the highest, first and second grades of durum wheat. The raw material for pasta of group B is flour of the highest and first grades from glassy soft wheat. For group B pasta, bakery flour of the highest and first grades is used.

In Russia, according to established GOSTs, all pasta products, depending on their shape, are divided into several types:

curly;
tubular;
thread-like;
ribbon-shaped.

Within each of these types there are several species. Figured products can be made in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Tubular pasta products include pasta itself, feathers and cones. Depending on the diameter they are divided into:

“straw” - with a diameter of up to 4 mm;
special - diameter from 4 mm to 5.5 mm;
ordinary - with a diameter from 5.6 mm to 7 mm;
amateur - with a diameter of more than 7 mm.

Thread-shaped pasta is divided into web vermicelli with a diameter of no more than 0.8 mm; thin - with a diameter of no more than 1.2 mm; ordinary - the diameter of which does not exceed 1.5 mm; amateur - with a diameter of up to 3 mm.

Ribbon pasta includes noodles, produced in various types and names. It can be with straight and wavy edges, grooved and smooth. The thickness of the noodles cannot exceed 2 mm, and any width is allowed, but not less than 3 mm.

According to Russian GOSTs, all pasta products are divided into two main groups: short, from 1.5 to 15 cm long, and long, from 15 to 50 cm. According to GOSTs, pasta can only be long, noodles and vermicelli can be either long or and short. Figured products, as well as horns and feathers, are produced only in short lengths.

Italian classification of pasta

In Italy, a slightly different classification of pasta is used than is customary in Russia. In total, there are about three hundred types of pasta in Italian cooking, but hardly anyone can name their exact number.

In Italy, all pasta is divided primarily into raw and dry. Dry pasta is stored for a long time and is sold in regular stores. In contrast, raw pasta is immediately used to prepare a particular dish.

All Italian pasta products are conventionally divided into the following subgroups:

long;
short;
curly;
fine soup paste;
intended for baking;
filled (stuffed) pasta.

Long pasta

Long pasta includes tubes with a diameter of 1.2 to 2 mm, such as capellini, vermicelli, spaghetti and spaghettini and bucatini.

Flat pasta in the form of ribbons of noodles, such as bavette, fettuccine, tagliatelle, linguine and pappardelle, vary in width, which varies from 3 to 13 mm.

A separate type of long flat pasta is mafaldine, which has wavy edges.

Short pasta

There are a great variety of short pasta products, the following types are the most popular.

Penne feathers are small tubes with a diameter of no more than 10 mm and a length of no more than 4 cm. The tips of such pasta are cut obliquely, which is why they resemble a sharpened feather. Their surface can be either smooth or corrugated.

Ditalini, which means “thimbles” in Italian. Small and very short tubes.

Rigatoni are short and long pasta tubes, wider than penne. Usually grooved.

Ziti are slightly curved tubes. They can be either short or long.

Horns (Elbow macaroni) are arched, small hollow tubes.

Figured pasta

Figured pasta in the Italian tradition can be very different in both shape and size. Let's name the most popular and frequently used forms of pasta.

Rotini are spirals, really small and short “springs”.

Fuzzili are spirals, longer than rotini, and also twisted into a “spring”. They can be of different types: long, thin, short and thick.

Cavatappi - very similar to fuzzilis, but only more elongated in length. They are hollow inside and corrugated outside.

Conchiglie means shells, and literally translated from Italian as “mollusk shell.” They differ in length and narrow internal cavity.

Lumake - snails. Indeed, they look very similar to the snail’s house from which it crawled out.

Farfalle - butterflies. We have adopted a less romantic and more prosaic name - “bows”.

Radiator - not a very tasty and romantic-sounding name - radiator, because of the grooves and grooves on each pasta.

Ruote is a wheel, our pasta of this shape is called “wheels”.

Orzo is a small pasta that looks more like rice.

We will not consider in more detail the types of Italian curly pasta, we will simply list a few more names: torchio, gemelli, malloredas, cesarizia, creste di Galli, quadrefiore and gigli.

Fine pasta (pasta) for soups

The following types of small pasta are used to season soups.

Anelli - small flat rings.

Alphabet - pasta in the shape of letters.

Corals are miniature small tubes that resemble coral in cross-section.

Stellete - stars, similar to our soup pasta of the same shape.

Filini - short strings.

Pasta for baking

Cannelloni - look like long, large-diameter tubes.

Manicotti are long tubes, like cannelloni, but with a smaller diameter.

Conciglione are the largest, one might say, giant shells.

Conchiglie are medium-sized shells.

Lumaconi are large snails.

Lasagna - flat and wide sheets, the edges of which can be either smooth or wavy.

Filled pasta - stuffed pasta

Ravioli are square-shaped dumplings made from pasta dough, very similar to ordinary Russian dumplings.

Tortellinni are small ring-shaped dumplings with a variety of fillings.

Gnocchi are small dumplings filled with mashed potatoes, cheese or spinach.

When asked what types of pasta there are, most of their fans aged 3 to 12 years will answer that they are colored. Indeed, it is children who love this kind of pasta the most! They are usually dyed with natural dyes. So, green pasta will be obtained by adding spinach juice, purple - by beet juice, black - by squid ink.

In Italy they love it and call it pasta nera. The size, shape and length of these pasta depend solely on the culinary imagination of the cook who decided to cook them.

We looked at the most commonly used types and varieties of pasta; in fact, the range of pasta products is much larger than we can imagine. Probably, the Italians themselves, with the exception of professional chefs, culinary historians and pasta production technologists, do not know what pasta is, so beloved in their homeland.

Sometimes in the articles in the “Lunch” section there are unfamiliar words or terms that I would like to know more about. To make life a little easier for our inquisitive readers, we are starting to compile a dictionary of culinary terms. We will make links to it in the future.

In the part called “Pasta” we will start with the classification of pasta. We will gradually supplement the section with other terminology relating to this Italian culinary phenomenon.

Pasta group A - products made from durum wheat flour of the highest, first and second grades according to the classification of the current GOST R 518650-2002.

The surface of products from group “A” is smooth, golden or amber in color. The edge of the products is “vitreous”. The presence of small dark specks and dots on the surface of the pasta is not a defect. This is a distinctive feature of the variety, which is due to the specifics of grinding flour from durum wheat.

Alphabet (in Italian Alphabets) - pasta in the shape of small letters of the alphabet. One of the most favorite children's pasta. Most often used in soups.

Angelotti (or agnolotti, in Italian Agnolotti) - small crescent-shaped pasta, they are stuffed with various fillings (meat, ricotta, spinach, cheese). Similar to Ukrainian dumplings.

Anelli (in Italian Anelli) - miniature rings for soups.

Apulian ears - ear-shaped pasta, originally from Puglia.

Pasta group B - products made from soft glassy wheat flour of the highest and first grade according to the classification of the current GOST R 518650-2002. As a rule, they are prepared quickly. If cooked for too long, they stick together. Pasta made from “soft” wheat varieties has a “rough” surface and a whitish or poisonous yellow color. Such products belong to economy class products. In some countries it is prohibited to make pasta from such flour.

Bavette (in Italian Bavette) - similar to flattened spaghetti, native to Liguria (a region of Italy). The traditional dish there is still bavette with classic Genoese pesto sauce.

Bigoli - paste in the form of long hollow tubes. The dish originates from Veneto. (Terre dei Trabocchi)

Bucatini - thick Italian spaghetti with a hole running through the center of the product. The name comes from the Italian "buco", meaning "hole", and "bucato" meaning "pierced".

Bucatini is common throughout the province of Lazio, especially in Rome. This spaghetti is made from durum wheat. Their length is 25-30 centimeters and their width is 3 millimeters.

Pasta group IN - products made from premium and first grade wheat baking flour according to the classification of the current GOST R 518650-2002. In some countries, they believe that such flour is not suitable for pasta. The quality of group B products is manifested during cooking, affecting the “fragile” forms: they swell and break. They belong to economy class products and are cheaper than products from group A.

Vermicelli (in Italian Vermicelli; from verme - "worm") - long, round pasta (1.4-1.8 millimeters), thinner than spaghetti but thicker than capellini. In Italian their name means “little worms.” Consumed hot, sometimes cold.

Garganelli - pasta with added eggs. The dish comes from Bologna.

Gemelli - thin spirals or strands with hollow ends.

Girandole (in Italian Girandole) - these pasta got its name for its resemblance to a children's toy - a multi-colored pinwheel. They have a shortened shape (unlike fusillini, require less cooking time).

Ditalini (in Italian Ditalini) are small, very short tubes; in Italian their name means “thimble”. Serve hot in soups or cold in pasta salads.

Ziti (in Italian Ziti) - arched tubes, but wider and longer than horns(elbow macaroni). There is also a short version called cut ziti. Served baked, in pasta salads and with thick sauces.

Cavatelli Pugliesi - paste in the form of small shells. The dish originates from Puglia. (Terre dei Trabocchi).

Caserecce - a traditional Italian type of pasta, shaped like narrow, curled short tubes of a delicate bronze hue. The best serving option is considered to be a combination of casarecce with thick meat sauce.

Campanella - literally translated as “bells”. Sometimes this paste is called "gigli" ("lilies"). Campanelle goes well with thick sauces: cheese, meat, cream.

Cannelloni (in Italian Cannelloni - “large reed”) - large, long tubes with a diameter of up to 30 millimeters and a length of up to 100 millimeters, slightly less than manicotti. This is one of the first types of pasta invented by people. Since ancient times, they have been prepared from dough mixed with water from ground grains and salt. The dough was rolled out and cut into rectangles. Then they put the filling on them, rolled them into a tube and boiled them.

Capelletti - small stuffed products in the shape of a hat.

Capellini (in Italian Capellini) - long, round and very thin pasta. The name came from the north of Central Italy, translated as “hairs”, “thin hair” (1.2-1.4 millimeters). Sometimes they are also called “angel hair”. Capellini is made from wholemeal wheat flour. Despite its small thickness, capellini does not become soft when cooked.

Only consumed hot. Served with light sauces, broths, or simply mixed with olive oil and boiled vegetables.

Conchiglie (in Italian Conchiglie, “clam shell”) - shells with a long and narrow cavity. They vary in size; there are smooth (lische) and grooved (rigate). Suitable for filling with filling.

Conchiglieni - the same as conchiglie, only bigger.

Concigliette - the same as conchiglie, only smaller.

Lasagna (in Italian Lasagne) - rectangular baking sheets. They can have straight or wavy edges. A casserole using these products is called exactly the same.

Lasagne sheets are alternated with the filling and baked in the oven for about 20 minutes. Unlike other types of dough, it does not need to be pre-cooked. Layers of filling can be, in particular, meat stew or minced meat, tomatoes, spinach, other vegetables, and Parmesan cheese.

Linguini (linguine or linguine, in Italian Linguine) - long, flat and narrow pasta, slightly longer than spaghetti. Their name is translated from Italian as “little tongues.” Large enough to serve with thick sauces such as marinara sauce.

Maccheroni (in Italian Maccheroni) - pasta in the form of small thin tubes, slightly bent.

Maccheroncini (in Italian Maccheroncini) is one of the long types of pasta, reminiscent of thick spaghetti, hollow inside.

Manicotti (in Italian Manicotti) are longer and wider than penne, and can be grooved. This is also the name of the dish itself when this particular pasta is used, as in the case of lasagna. Usually these products are stuffed.

Mafaldine (in Italian Mafaldine) or mafalde is a long ribbon with wavy edges. Mafaldine were invented in Naples and were once called “rich fettuccielle.” The Neapolitans invented them especially for Princess Mafalda of Savoy and subsequently christened them “Reginette” (literally “royal princess”) or “Mafaldina” in her honor.

Gnocchi (in Italian Gnocchi) - translated from Italian as “small dumplings”, usually made from dough with cheese, semolina, potatoes or spinach.

Orecchiete - small items in the shape of ears.

Orzo (in Italian Orzo, “pearl barley”) is pasta that is similar in size and shape to rice or pearl barley.

Pappardelle (in Italian Pappardelle) - are long and thick strips of dough 13 millimeters wide, originally from Tuscany. It is traditionally served with thick creamy or meat sauces.

Penne (in Italian penne, feathers) - pasta, their diagonal cut resembles a fountain pen, which is why they got their name. Relatives tortiglioni, but smaller in size - up to four centimeters long. There are also: Rigate (ribbed), Lisce (smooth), Piccole (small). Sometimes they are also called mostaccioli. Served in soups, as well as baked and with any sauces.

Pechutelle (in Italian Perciatelli) - long, thin and straight hollow pasta, thicker than spaghetti.

Pipe rigate (snails) (in Italian Pipe rigate) - pasta, sometimes called "snails". They resemble tubes in shape, twisted in a semicircle so that the sauce is kept inside. Some believe that this pasta belongs to the Roman gastronomic culture, while others suggest that it first appeared in north central Italy.

Ravioli (in Italian Ravioli) - an analogue of Russian dumplings. Ravioli are square-shaped and come with different fillings (either very finely ground or cut into small pieces). Serve baked, boiled as a separate dish or in soup.

Radiators (in Italian Radiatore) - pasta with grooves and grooves resembling a radiator.

Rigatoni (in Italian Rigatoni) - short tubes (about four centimeters), wider than penne, but also with grooves. By the way, grooves on the sides are needed because thick, creamy sauces are well retained in them.

Horns (in Italian Elbow macaroni) are curved hollow cones that are traditionally used to make macaroni cheese.

Ruot (in Italian Ruote) - pasta in the shape of cart wheels.