PASTA SHAPES & SIZES
		Long, straight pasta noodles TYPE: SHAPE: BEST USED: SERVED: Capellini (Angel hair)  Long, rounded, very thin  Hot  With light sauces, or tossed with olive oil and fresh steamed vegetables   Vermicelli  Long, rounded, thinner than spaghetti  Hot, can be used cold  With light sauces, or tossed in pasta salads   Linguine  Long, flat, narrow  Hot  Large enough to hold slightly thicker sauces, for example a marinara sauce   Spaghetti  Long, rounded, average thickness  Hot  With tomato-based sauces or baked in casseroles   Fettuccine  Long, flat, wider than linguine  Hot  Thick sauces, especially creamy sauces   Lasagna  Long, very wide, may be flat-edged or have curled edges  Hot  Baked, in lasagna and other casserole-type dishes
Curly pastas TYPE: SHAPE: BEST USED: SERVED: Rotini (Spirals)  Fairly short spirals  Hot or cold  With thick/chunky sauces or in pasta salads   Fusilli  Long, corkscrew-shaped spaghetti  Hot or cold  Very versatile, good with most sauces, in soup or in pasta salad,   Tagliatelle (Egg noodles)  Same width as fettuccine or linguine, but not flattened  Hot  Baked dishes, soups, stroganoff
Tubular pastas TYPE: SHAPE: BEST USED: SERVED: Ditalini  Small, very short tubes  Hot or cold  Soups or pasta salads   Elbow macaroni  Curved tubes  Hot or cold  Baked dishes, or in pasta salad   Perciatelli (Long macaroni)  Long, thin, straight tubes  Hot  Use in place of spaghetti   Ziti  Slightly curved tubes, wider and longer than elbow macaroni  Hot or cold  Baked, in pasta salads, with thick sauces   Penne  Straight, medium-length tubes, often ridged instead of smooth, cut on diagonal  Hot  In soups, baked, with a wide variety of sauces   Rigatoni  Straight, short tubes, wider than penne, also ridged  Hot  Variety of sauces; ridges hold thick or creamy sauces well   Cannelloni  Large, long tubes  Hot  Stuffed   Manicotti  Longer and wider than penne, may be ridged  Hot  Stuffed
	Other shapes TYPE: SHAPE: BEST USED: SERVED: Alphabets  Letters of the alphabet  Hot  In soups   Anelli (rings)  Small, O-shaped  Hot  In soups   Bow Tie Pasta  Squares pinched in the middle to form bow-ties  Hot  In soups and with grains, like buckwheat, in side dishes   Conchiglie (Shells)  Shells with one long, narrow opening  Hot or cold  In soups, baked, in pasta salads   Conchiglioni (Jumbo shells)  Like regular shells, but much larger  Hot  Stuffed   Orzo  Size and shape of grains or cooked rice  Hot  As side dish   Radiatore (Radiators)  Ruffled and ridged, like a radiator  Hot; can be used cold  With thick or creamy sauces, in soups, in salad   Ruote (Wheels)  Wagon wheels  Hot  In soups, casseroles, with thick sauces
			Filled pastas TYPE: SHAPE: BEST USED: SERVED: Agnolotti  Small, crescent-shaped, may be filled with a variety of meats or cheeses  Hot  With variety of sauces   Gnocchi  Dumplings, may have cheese, potatoes or spinach in dough  Hot  As side dish   Tortellini  Small, filled, ring-shaped pasta  Hot  Good with a variety of thick or creamy sauces   Ravioli  Usually round, with cheese or beef filling  Hot  Baked or boiled, with thick sauces   -- Back to grains page -- Back to Italian food page --