RuvidaMente
The large family of farfalle (butterflies) boasts very ancient origins: according to experts, their first version dates back to the 16th century
They are made both as dry pasta, using only semolina and water, and as fresh pasta, adding eggs to the dough.
The former are obtained by pinching a rectangle of pasta in the center, while the latter are distinguished by their shape obtained from an oval of egg puff pastry. The latter, in Tuscany, are also called "saliere".
Farfalle pair perfectly with the lightest and most delicious sauces. If their smooth and polished surface is enhanced when combined with delicate fish and shellfish-based condiments, their more consistent central heart perfectly retains the aromas of the vegetables.
As with semolina pasta, egg pasta also has many long shapes that differ only in the width of the strip and, in some cases, in the color of the pasta.
Thus, alongside Tagliatelle, Pappardelle, Paglia e Fieno, Taglierini and Tagliolini, we also find Fettuccine: strips of pasta with the ideal width to accommodate and enhance both richer ragùs and lighter sauces.
Fettuccine are thin strips of pasta with a flat section, about 7 mm wide: they are similar to Tagliatelle, from which they differ in their width, which is slightly greater.
Bolognese ragù is the traditional seasoning par excellence for Fettuccine, which also pair perfectly with lighter sauces, for example with vegetables, cream and ham or fish.
Fusilli originate from central-northern Italy, and owe their name to the spindle, around which wool was wound.
Fusilli are made up of three twisted wings that harmoniously chase each other in a spiral pattern, which captures every type of sauce.
You can't go wrong with Fusilli: they enhance the most elaborate and dense sauces, but also the simplest ones, and allow great results even if you want to dare some difficult culinary experiments.
Therefore, they adapt perfectly to rich sauces based on meat or ricotta, but they reveal their multifaceted personality even in the freshness of salads: chopped vegetables, spices, tuna slide between their coils harmoniously accompanied by the velvety notes of raw olive oil.
Lasagna, a pasta dish common in every Italian region, is a rectangle of egg pasta, expertly stretched to ensure the ideal consistency and porosity to collect and enhance the sauce.
In central and northern Italy, and particularly in Emilia, they are also popular in the green version, obtained by mixing boiled spinach with flour and egg.
The most traditional way to cook lasagna is to season it with the classic Bolognese sauce, although it is also excellent for creating new, light and tasty recipes, with vegetables, fish or cheeses.
For those who want to add a touch of sophistication to the traditional dish, it is possible to add a good béchamel sauce to the Bolognese sauce: in this way the rich and tasty lasagna sheet is optimally enhanced.
The origins of pappardelle, the largest egg pasta shape, are attributed to central-northern Italy, more precisely to Tuscany.
The name also derives from the Tuscan dialect verb "pappare", referring to eating with almost childish joy and pleasure.
Pappardelle are presented as a flat ribbon about 1/2 inch (Tagliatelle is only 1/5 inch).
The generous sheet of Pappardelle is ideal for accommodating rustic, thick hare and rabbit ragù but they marry successfully with sauces of all kinds: if the robust flavour of game ragù remains the most loved by fans of tradition, for a tasty and fragrant first course, sauces based on mushrooms or truffles are also recommended and are ideal with fish or vegetable based condiments.
Furthermore, they are excellent, perhaps broken, if added to soups and pureed legumes.
Penne, smooth or ridged, are a type of pasta common throughout Italy, and their name changes depending on the region of Italy.
In Umbria they are called "spole" and in the south they are called "maltagliati". Having become a phenomenon of custom, Penne are proverbial for their versatility because they solve a thousand situations, even the most unexpected: from a plate of pasta organized at the last minute with friends to the most classic of family tables, gathered in front of a nice steaming plate of Penne all'arrabbiata or ragù.
Offered in a vast range of variations, Penne have been destined since their birth for the most creative combinations: ridged, smooth, small, candle-shaped, they always have an oblique cut, "nib-shaped" in fact, which with its dynamism contrasts with the more usual, straight cut of the classic macaroni.
Penne Rigate are characterized by their ability to retain the seasoning and offer strong taste sensations, while Penne are more suitable for refined, delicate, harmonious sauces, for which the smooth surface acts as a simple vector of flavors to the palate.
Penne Rigate pair perfectly with sauces of all kinds, from traditional ones, based on meat or tomato, to the more innovative and original ones, born from the union of vegetables and cheeses. They are also excellent for baked pies and timbales.
Penne Lisce, on the other hand, enhance the aromas of spices, the liveliness of tomato sauce, perhaps combined with basil, and the soft harmony of vegetable-based sauces, which slide delicately on their smooth surface.
From the same family are the Pennette, with a decidedly smaller diameter than the Penne, and the Mezze Penne, which, however, maintain the same diameter but are half the length of the classic Penne. Both of these types are offered in both the smooth and ridged versions.