PASTA OF THE WEEK

WHAT IS GIGLI? Also known as campanelle, this cut is made in the shape of a little bell or flower.  The ruffled edge and central cone are both elegant and symbolic of its home town’s coat of arms.  With a trumpet shape and furled edge, gigli is great for trapping thicker sauces. WHERE IS GIGLI […]

WHAT IS GNOCCHI? Gnocchi means “knot” or “knuckle” in Italian.  This cut has been popular since before the birth of Christ.   It was first brought to Italy by Roman soldiers returning from the Middle East.  Regional Italian fresh gnocchi recipes began to crop up.  The shells were stuffed with whatever ingredients local farmers had leftover […]

WHAT IS PAPPARDELLE? These flat, broad, long ribbons of golden egg dough decorate many a Tuscan table. Their reputation for deliciousness even extends to their name, derived from the Italian verb “pappare” or “to gobble up.”  Similar to fettuccine but wider, pappardelle tends to be used with your really hearty sauces. Have a noisy neighborhood duck […]

WHAT IS PANSOTTI? Known as the ravioli of the Italian Riviera, pansotti are Ligurian stuffed pastas.  Each fat triangle shape has a vegetable filled beer belly. Despite their flabby appearance, pansotti are considered a ravioli magri (lean dumpling). “Lean” however doesn’t mean boring.  Anything from edible wild flowers to a dash of white wine is […]

WHAT IS PACCHERI? Paccheri are tall, hollow tubes of dry pasta. They are a staple of Napolitan cuisine.  Considered a poor man’s pasta in the past, they are among the more difficult cuts of pasta to make exceptionally well. To be more specific, they are very difficult to dry well. Creating the circle of wet […]

WHAT IS CAVATAPPI? The name cavatappi comes from the Italian word for “corkscrew”.  It also has other less imaginative names like “spirali”.  In keeping with its’ nickname, this spiral pasta is hollow with grooves on surface.   The number of twists varies by version with some having as few as one.   Wikipedia has a whole explanation […]

WHAT IS PASTA MISTA? This blend of cuts first started as a mix of leftover odds and ends from other pastas.  Traditionally this blend would have 5 different cuts of pasta.  However this mix was confined to short cuts, not the longer 10 inch (26 cm) pastas like spaghetti.  Also this pasta groups together cuts […]

WHAT IS TAGLIATELLE? From the Italian tagliare or “to cut”, this pasta is from that family of wide ribbon pastas. Often the dough is made with nothing more then eggs and flour.  This pasta is easy to quickly cut up with a knife.  And if you mistakenly cut the strips too wide, just tell everyone […]

WHAT IS STROZZAPRETI? It is the taller cousin of cavatelli and the gangsta of the pasta family.  Strozzapreti ‘s name literally means “Priest Stranglers.” Yes, in the Middle Ages this pasta was designed to choke priests to death right in front of you as you were having dinner. The Heimlich maneuver hadn’t been invented yet.  […]

WHAT IS FAGOTTINI? Also known as sacchetti or fiochetti, fagottini are a member of the pasta ripiena (stuffed pasta) family.  These little purses look like the pasta version of burrata cheese. The edges of a square cut of fresh pasta dough are pulled up and tied off into a bundle with string.  This creates a […]

WHAT IS RADIATORI? If there is an engineer in the house, this is the pasta for you. These cuts look like old-school radiators from either the early 1900’s or most New York City rental apartments.  Popular since World War II radiatori, like their heating namesakes, maximize surface area. This allows for the efficient transfer of […]

WHAT IS BUCATINI? This cut is like spaghetti on the outside but hollow on the inside.   Bucatini’s name is derived from “Buco”, the Italian word for “hole”.  This tubed pasta was invented in an attempt to allow boiling water to cook the pasta from the inside out. Also known as perciatelli, these fragile sticks of […]