Spaghetti is arguably the most recognizable form of pasta.
Pasta is a category of noodles, itself one of the most popular types of food in the world. Within this subcategory of noodles are hundreds of different shapes and varieties of pasta, often designed to be cooked in a particular preparation or to be paired with a certain type of sauce.
Spaghetti
Iconic spaghetti noodles, recognized for their long, string-like shapes.
Spaghetti is a thin, cylindrical shape of pasta and is one of the most popular varieties in the world. There is no standard for thickness, but thinner varieties are sometimes referred to as angel hair or spaghettini. This pasta is traditionally served with tomato sauce, but it is often also accompanied by Parmesan cheese or butter. Bucatini is a less common type of spaghetti and is hollow rather than solid. Fusilli Bucati is a hollow strand of spaghetti shaped into a corkscrew.
Ribbon Cuts
Lasagna dishes are usually cut and served like cakes.
Ribbon-cut pastas are wide and flat, giving them an undulating appearance not unlike a ribbon. Fettuccine is a common type of ribbon-cut pasta and is often served in beef broth or with Alfredo sauce, which is popular in the United States. Lasagna is technically a type of ribbon-cut pasta formed into long, wide, flat sheets like small pieces of paper. It is commonly prepared as a casserole sandwiching sauce, cheese and meat between the pasta sheets. Another common ribbon-cut pasta is linguine, which is essentially flattened spaghetti.
Extruded Pastas
The ridged surfaces of many extruded pastas make it easier for sauce to cling.
Extruded pastas are formed differently than cut pastas. Rather than being rolled out flat and then cut into strips, the dough is pushed through a machine with a die that creates the desired shape. Some common extruded pastas are manicotti, which is the shape of thick, short tubes with ridged walls. Manicotti noodles are often stuffed with cheeses and covered in sauce. Penne looks very similar to manicotti, but much thinner, making it less ideal for stuffing. Rigatoni is also a tube-shaped pasta, larger than penne and cut straight across rather than at an angle.
Decorative
"Rotelle" is roughly translated to "little wheels," indicative of its unique shape.
Decorative pastas come in the widest variety of shapes, which determine how they are used. Conchiglie pasta noodles are shaped like sea shells and can range from very small, topping-like varieties to larger shapes appropriate for stuffing with meat or cheese. Farfalle is shaped like a bowtie. Fiori is a flower-shaped pasta that also bears a striking resemblance to a slice of honeycomb. Rotelle pasta noodles are shaped like wagon wheels and rotini, sometimes referred to as spiral pasta, is shaped like thick, short corkscrews.
Stuffed Pastas
Ravioli is known for its distinct pillow shape and is usually filled with beef.
Stuffed pastas are designed like little pouches and are meant to hold various meats, sauces or cheeses (or a combination). Ravioli, which look look like little pillows, are a famous variety. Agnolotti are tiny square, rectangular or semicircular pillows, and tortellini look like little pies stuffed with meats and cheeses.
Tags: shaped like, like little, ribbon-cut pasta, common type, look like, look like little