As you digs through various sources for just how many pasta shapes have been in existence, it quickly becomes clear that the number could easily rank near 1,000 when different cultures with variations incorporating enriched flour, rice, gluten-free ingredients, whole-wheat, etc. are thought.
In Italy, specifically, the count sits around 350, each and every featuring unique contours, ridges, diameters and lengths-characteristics that lend themselves to particular sauce applications, all enjoyed by pasta lovers hailing from various corners of the flavor and texture spectrum.
Even more than sauce, it’s pasta that’s inextricably associated with Italy. Made out of simple, humble ingredients-typically flour, eggs, salt and water-the result is pure food alchemy. Those four components combine to spin golden bands and bits that act as the building blocks for a dizzying quantity of meals, carrying the weight of sauces, meats, and cheeses, sometimes at the same time.
How pasta first arrived in this culinary epicenter and its many regions will be the subject of endless debate, with most recalling the grade school lesson involving Marco Polo and his travels on the Far East. That tale states the famed explorer took noodles back home to Venice after a harrowing trip to China, and also the newfangled food became increasingly popular, sweeping across Italy. This adequately might be true, but other theories posit that pasta was in and around the continent long before Polo’s voyage east.
Classifying Pasta
The roughly 350 various kinds of pasta could be broadly sorted into four categories:
Long: Tagliatelle, linguine, angel hair, fettuccine, capellini, etc.
Short: Cavatappi, conchiglie, festoni, farfalle, fusilli, gnocchi, etc.
Soup: Anelli, ditali, orzo, etc.
Stuffed: Cannelloni, angoletti, ravioli, tortellini, sacchetti, etc.
Some pasta shapes might be sorted into multiple categories, and variations in shapes and regional practices mean there’s lots of overlap. Really, many of these pasta shapes exist since they elevate individual sauces and dishes making use of their unique textures. In Italian cooking, the way a pasta props up sauce is crucial. A thick, flavorful sauce uses a pasta that’s just like robust, with deep grooves for holding the sauce. An even more delicate sauce pairs well with a thin, ribbon-like pasta.
It’s not simply texture – flavors has to be considered when choosing the best pasta. A chef will forever consider what sort of sauce will “cling” on the pasta, plus the dish in general. Soup and stuffed dishes demand specific varieties of pasta, yet, there are several options in those categories.
Holy Pasta – Manifesto Market Andel
Ordering from Holy Pasta is much like joining a live cooking show. Pick from 3 pasta types, 7 toppings, and 16 unique sauces, watching it being prepared fresh, in front of your vision. These dishes are crafted experiences as well as a hallmark to Italian cuisine’s quality and creativity. Making the best of four food categories to choose from (meat, vegetarian, fish, and fitness), and ensuring there will be something for everyone’s taste.
More details about pasta recipes have a look at our new web portal