Pasta Notes

(Donna Hay Jn/Jul 2009)

Getting to know some pasta that is found in the supermarkets... Specific pasta shapes are designed to complement certain sauces; by general rule of thumb, the thinner the pasta, the lighter the sauce.

1. Rigatoni - large tube with thick grooves. Wide holes are perfect for thicker sauces from cream-based to chunky meat sauces. Could also use penne.

2. Conchiglie - resembles little conch shells. Great for meat and tomato-based sauces and also in a base for soups or cold pasta salads.

3. Conchiglioni - jumbo pasta shells, ideal size for stuffing with meat, veggies or cheese, topping it with sauce and baking in the oven.

4. Macaroni - one of the most versatile pastas. Can be topped with any cauce, baked in the oven or used in soups.

5.  Linguine - long, flat and narrow shaped. Ideally suite to seafood sauces and also served with pesto. Slightly wider than spaghetti.


6. Lasagne - sold fresh or dried, sheets are traditionally used for the dish of the same name. Also good to break into large pieces and serve with a very chunky sauce.

7. Spaghetti - Classically used in Bolognese but can be topped with both cream and meat-based sauces.

8. Caserecci - made from rolled, twisted tubes of pasta designed to trap sauce, particular a chunkier sauce. Could use a similar shape called trofie.

Personally, I love using angel's hair with my meat-based sauces as supposed to spaghetti. Angel's hair is thinner than spaghetti. Angel's hair can also be easily broken up into pieces and use it in soups.

Another type not featured here but is rather common is fusili, which is a short pasta but has twisted shape. I typically use this for pasta bake. There are bigger and smaller sized fusili and sometimes you find different coloured ones in one packet.