The Different Types of Pasta

When you think of Italian food, pasta is usually the first thing to come to mind. Pasta has such a long history and is a staple today for Italian cuisine. It is estimated that Italians eat over 60 lbs of pasta per person, per year. Americans eat about 20 lbs per person. Pasta can be found in just about every restaurant these days, and whether you’re cooking a pasta dish or ordering one at a restaurant, you have to think about the specifics.

There are 7 common types of pasta that you can find almost anywhere:

1. Angel hair pasta is the thin and long kind of pasta that can easily be mistaken for spaghetti. Angel hair only needs about 6-7 minutes to cook. It is typically paired with light dishes with soupy or dairy-based sauces to top it off. The hollowness of the pasta makes it easy to absorb the sauces. Angel hair pasta and spaghetti probably aren’t the best choices to slurp down on a date.
2. Farfalle is more commonly known as the “bow-tie” pasta. It’s slightly pinched in the center with wide surfaces on the end. This pasta is usually eaten with richer sauces that are tomato based or creamy because it sticks to the surface better. Farfalle takes about 11 minutes to cook.
3. Fusilli is the spiral shaped, corkscrew looking pasta and is one of the most common ones you will see. The shape of the pasta is made by wrapping thin strips of pasta around long skewers and then cutting them into multiple pieces making the individual pasta. The shape makes the cook time a little longer than the others, around 14 minutes.
4. Penne, the cylinder shaped pasta, takes long to cook and is usually paired with heavier, chunkier sauces. Penne is a common household pasta along with ravioli and macaroni.
5. Ravioli is the square shaped sheets of dough and can be filled with a variation of cheeses, lobster, or meat. This pasta is so rich that it typically doesn’t use much sauce.
6. Macaroni is the “elbow” shaped one that kids typically love to eat in their mac and cheese.
7. Spaghetti is an American favorite and probably one of the most Americanized of the Italian pasta dishes. It is usually paired with oils and sauces that have a creamy substance. It is served soft at all times, making it easy to slurp.

Now that you’re informed on pasta, it’s best to know what pasta does for you. Many people cut  carbs out of their diets when they want to lose weight. However, pasta can be a healthy option when the basic ingredients are swapped with nutritive ones. Pasta can be healthy depending on how it is both made and served. It’s dependent on what you pair the pasta with and what ingredients you cook it with.

The better you know your pasta, the better you'll be able to prepare them for yourself and the more knowledgeable you'll be when you order a dish.