CURIOUS as I AM

Pasta, an Italian staple that has been pressed, pulled, shaped, and twisted in all different sizes and forms to make up endless varieties of dishes; and the sauce, used to complete the pasta to make it a dish. But it can’t just be any sauce – the shape and size of the pasta determines which type of sauce is to be paired with the pasta.

Pairing pasta and it’s sauce is not unlike pairing wine with food – there are rules to be followed. Here are some general rules and traditions to consider when pairing pasta with sauces: 

• Short tubular pasta shapes (fusilli, penne, etc.) pair well with chunkier sauces (cream-based vs. tomato based sauces). 
• Sauces with large chunks of meat are best paired with large tube shapes (shells, rigatoni, etc).
• Long strands of pasta (trenette, spaghetti, etc.) are paired best with smooth sauces like marinara.
• Wider long noodles (fettucine, papardelle etc.) pair well with chunky sauces (cream-based). 

Remember, the pasta makes the dish, not the sauce.

Below is a study guide for your next visit to an authentic Italian restaurant. *there are well over a hundred pasta shapes, and many are not listed below, apologies. 

Gnocchi Sardi, Gnocchi, Gramigna, Mezze Maniche, Nastrini, Orecchiette, Pipe, Penne Lisce Ruote, Trucioli, Strascinati, Tortiglioni

Cavatelli, Chifferoni, Chiocciole, Ditalini, Fusilli, Farfalle, Eliche, Galletti, Garganelli

Bucatini, Fettucini, Fusilli Lunghi, Maccheroni Al Ferretto

Mafaldine or Reginette, Mostaccioli, Spaghetti, Strozzacavalli, Trenette, Zite

Diana