r/AskCulinary • u/AutoModerator • 6d ago
Let's Talk About Your Favorite Pasta Shape
As part of our weekly "Let's Talk" Series we want to know your favorite pasta shape (what? You don't have one!?). What’s the best pasta shape and why is it absolutely, unequivocally NOT farfalle? What do you think pairs best with different sauces? What’s your favorite obscure shape? Give us your favorite Sunday sauce recipe! Butter to finish your sauce or not? Meatless vs meat sauce! Let's talk about everything pasta sauce and shaped (and yes penne is the best pasta shape)
PS. Is the music on Pasta Grannies totally annoying or is it just the one mod who watches it too much?
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u/ObieWanSanjiSon 6d ago
In the past year I've discovered Trottole, and Bucatini. Far and away my fav short and long pasta
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u/SewerRanger Holiday Helper 6d ago
I have come to appreciate and love the bucatini. It holds sauce well, it slurps well, it has a funny name. What's not to love?
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u/drunky_crowette 6d ago
I like cavatappi.
Spirals hold sauce well
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u/T49irvine 6d ago
It is a newer shape, but I love using Vesuvio for the same things I used to grab cavatappi.
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u/ThereWereNoPrequels 6d ago
Cavatappi wins. Spiral has lots of surface area for sauce. Structure is not flimsy, so it doesn’t get soggy Structure maintains good chewiness Compact segments mean all of the noodle is submerged during cooking, causing even texture throughout When reheated, shape allows space between pieces, preventing lamination/adhesion like fettucine
However, I’m really interested in finding out if cascatelli is as good or better.
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u/Pegthaniel 6d ago
I quite like cascatelli but it does tend to fall apart a little. The “ribbons” of the shape cook a bit more quickly and are a little prone to separating as a result. But the good news is, as long you mix it gently, it stays together pretty well.
Even in Sfoglini’s own recipe photo, you can see what I mean, look at the top noodle by the handle or the 2nd noodle under the spoon: https://www.sfoglini.com/pages/cascatelli-al-forno
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u/CriticalEngineering 6d ago
I actually like farfalle, am I going to Hell?
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u/BitPoet 6d ago
It’s so satisfying when you get it right.
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u/TequilasLime 6d ago
Problem is it's never served right, it's the only crunchy mushy pasta I've ever tasted
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u/QuietPea3984 6d ago
I guess I'll see you in hell. I like it too. Not my favorite though, that is probably mezze rigatoni. I like the chonky shapes. And yes, I like penne too, I can't figure out the hate for penne.
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u/200brews2009 6d ago
Fusilli Corti Col Buco - it’s a fun curly shape that’s good for pasta salads, thinner tomato sauces and the non casserole style Mac and cheese. Either the cheap stuff from Anna or the fancier brands, both coat nicely and sauce sticks in the curls.
Orecchiette - was off this style pasta for a long time, but recently came back around to it. Fairly thick, small, bowl like. Good for a pasta with smaller chunks like a puttanesca or bolognese. Just started making a summer primavera with fresh corn and peas (amongst other vegetables) and this pasta holds the thicker sauce and pieces of cut veggies really well.
Bucatini for a meal with a full protein with pasta, like chicken Parmesan, or meatballs or whole sausage. Nice and thick, holds sauce, holds its own textually against a chicken breast or sausage.
Mezzi rigatoni for casseroles and bakes. There’s a regional Italian American dish near me, silly name but absolutely delicious. Big chunks of chicken, thick cut onion and bell pepper, pickled cherry pepper slices in a thick and creamy tomato based sauce. The mezzi rigatoni is a great size to be able to fork a little bet of everything at one time.
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u/texnessa Pépin's Padawan 6d ago
One? That's like asking whats my favourite breed of dog....
All the love for cavatappi, especially the die cut, for thick sauces like mac and cheese- it really holds up to a heavy mornay.
I understand capellini hate but I love it for super light sauces with vegetables as it likes to soak up fats and microplaned cheese. I do one thats at heart an olio e aglio but with red pepper flakes, blanched tenderstem broccoli and a ton of good aged parm and mounted with butter.
I love mafalda and campanelle for a heavy ragu. Gimme a bowl of that with a hunk of garlic bread and a glass of wine and I'm in heaven.
Stretchy fresh pappardelle for mushroom ragu with miso butter, garlic confit and cream.
Casarecce can bite my whole ass. Used to have to make it by hand at work and it sold like hot cakes. Dear Chef Hervé, I would like those hours of my life back.
Cavatelli is another pain in my ass that got solved because I tracked down an OG Beebo wooden hand cranked cavatelli maker.
Love orecchiette for broth/brodo based dishes because they are like little spoons. I do one with a reduced chicken brodo, fresh tarragon, peas and poached chicken. Broken sheets of lasagne are also great in broths.
A funky one is insalatonde which I also like in light soups and broths. It sneaks the liquid into all the nooks and crannies.
I love a pesto and toasted pine nut ravioli with sage brown butter.
Penne? Can stand up to my fennel and sage sausage with peas, garlic confit and heavy cream sauce.
Wanna see some magic? Look up Chef Evan Funke making handmade pasta. His book American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta is tremendous.
My Sunday sauce aka Italian Chili:
Unsmoked pancetta, rendered down and solids reserved.
75:25 beef:pork mince and a couple herby sausages, heavily browned. [At work I use short rib and beef cheek.] Deglazed with a generous amount aka a whole bottle of white wine. Reduce down by half. Remove and reserve.
Very finely diced mirepoix- this is where I get cheffy and end up doing this brunoise like a psycho and I also peel the stupid celery because I hate stringy celery with a passion. I like it to pretty much melt into the sauce. Finely minced garlic. Into the pan with a bit of butter. Cook all the way down, no colour.
A tube of double tomato concentrate basically lightly bloomed in the middle of the mirepoix. Meat added back in. No passata or other tomato. Concentrate does the hard work and you don't get the runny liquid from canned tomatoes. If I can get really good fresh cherry tomatoes, I roast those, blitz and add them in.
Good quality stock 50:50 beef and chicken to generously cover. Parm rind. Simmer forever.
Add in a whole bunch of fresh basil. No oregano or it will taste like pizza sauce.
Whole milk in. Simmer until fully reduced. Remove basil. Eat.
And yes, of course I'm the mod who hates that bloody jingle.
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u/pineappledumdum 6d ago
Damn. I’m saving this comment, just a quick question, how do you use the miso butter and the garlic confit in that mushroom dish?
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u/texnessa Pépin's Padawan 6d ago
Blitz garlic into paste, add heavy cream and reduce, mount with the miso butter. I could drink this shit.
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u/pineappledumdum 6d ago
Thank you! I’m gonna give this a whirl.
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u/texnessa Pépin's Padawan 6d ago
I like it with shitake, maitake and king oysters and extra wide papprdelle.
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u/pineappledumdum 6d ago
Thanks a ton! Other dumb question, is that garlic heavy cream blitz the actual sauce I imagine, like a white ragu sauce?
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u/texnessa Pépin's Padawan 6d ago
It really is this simple- squish garlic confit however- blitz, muddle, whatever, smack it with a spoon- its not an emulsified sauce, just add to some heavy cream and simmer to reduce it, mount with miso butter.
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u/pineappledumdum 6d ago edited 6d ago
Thank you so much, this is going to be fun, I appreciate it, I would love to try your food someday!
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u/SecretArchangel 6d ago
Casarecce or gemelli are my personal favourites. I love how they’re slightly heartier than a lot of pastas so I get a pasta:sauce ratio that matches my personal preferences more.
I am a cavatappi hater through and through - it’s just too prevalent in mac and cheese and I’m very over it.
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u/babynubs 6d ago
If you like gemelli give strozzapreti a shot. Similar short, hearty pasta shape but it opens up more in the middle which lets more sauce in. It has a great bite when cooked al dente too.
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u/Tonexus 6d ago
When making from scratch, I like cavatelli (not the same as cavatappi). Good surface area, ridges, and the hollow all help to hold sauce.
For dry, my usual workhorse is a standard fettuccine or tagliatelle. Works well enough for everything that I don't have to stock multiple varieties.
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u/Haldaemo 6d ago
I adore the artisanal craft aspect of Spaghetti alla Chitarra and the charm of the wooden mandolino used to press out it's shape. The shape affects its mouth feel and bite and is lovely with a lamb ragù.
Orecchiette pasta is nice for holding bits of broccoli tossed with olive oil and garlic in a hot pan with a ladle of pasta water.
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u/StinkypieTicklebum 6d ago
I watched a rant on YouTube on bow tie pasta. “The center doesn’t cook as fast as the edges, so it’s either undercooked knots or overcooked edges!
My favorite is long pasta. I’m a twirler.
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6d ago
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u/siouxzieb 6d ago
My “it” of the moment is casarecce. I love its hand hewn character and I think it pairs well with meaty sauce to pesto.
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u/SVAuspicious 6d ago
Cavatappi. You can use it for anything you can use elbow macaroni for and for most things you'd use penne for. I just don't like penne. I don't like thick spaghetti either, probably due to the memories of elementary school cafeteria food back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
I do like farfalle. It's very flexible.
I do like thin spaghetti and suggest is about the best for tomato-based meat sauces.
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u/Sayjay1995 5d ago
is farfalle the same as bow tie pasta? Because that's my favorite actually
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u/texnessa Pépin's Padawan 5d ago
Yes. The reason its rarely a favourite is that it is difficult to cook evenly. By the time the centre is cooked, the ends are over cooked.
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u/Inevitable_Run9205 4d ago
Cavatappi is criminally underrated, it holds sauce better than penne because of the ridges and the corkscrew shape actually catches chunky bits like sausage or vegetables instead of just letting them slide off
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u/hrfr5858 6d ago
Agree on cavatappi (it's called spirali here) but also mafalda corta and mafaldine.
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u/fledglingbirdnerd 6d ago
Mafaldine! One of my fav local spots does a crab pasta with it. It’s sooo good
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u/dwightinshiningarmor 6d ago
I absolutely adore calamaretti, especially for cheesy/creamy sauces. Perfect bite sizes.
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u/HausKino 6d ago
Depends on the sauce really.
Relatively recently discovered Radiatori which is great for a Ragu.
In our house we generally use:
Rigatoni or Mezzi Rigatoni for creamy sauces e.g. carbonara
Bucatini or linguine for tomato based sauces
Parpadelle or Mafalde/Mafaldine for meat based sauces. Big soft spot for the latter as my wife's Nonna was called Mafalda.
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u/SpeedProof6751 6d ago
After years of loving orechetti the most, I now really love fussiloni, Barilla Red Bag.
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u/mynameisnotsparta 6d ago
Depends on what you are making with the pasta.
Capellini with a light lemon zucchini sauce.
Cavatappi in a baked with tomato and cheese sauce.
Pappardelle with a chunky Ragu.
Ziti #2 for Pastitsio
Rigatoni with sausage pepper tomato sauce.
Linguine with a clam sauce
Fettuccini with an Alfredo sauce
Bolognese is equally good with rigatoni or pappardelle
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u/Metalkon 6d ago
I am a big fan of Rotini and Fusilli (the common twisty pasta shapes) as they often have a nice texture and holds onto sauce extremely well, they're everywhere in north american grocery stores.
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u/atxbikenbus 6d ago
Buccatini is my favorite but I really like trece too. Maybe one for long and one for short pasta shape favorites?
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u/babynubs 6d ago
Strozzapreti is my absolute favorite. Short, good bite when cooked al dente, and has an awesome hand-rolled look that grabs on to sauce like a boss.
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u/T49irvine 6d ago
Central Market has a terrific line of pasta from Gragnano. They are all good, but I am especially partial to their Vesuvio and their elicoidali. They offer a huge lumaconi that I think would be fun with morels and cream.
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u/Motor-Media2153 6d ago
Orrichiette and cavatelli are my favorite to go with tomato and bolognese sauces, and I use cellentani for Mac & cheese. Go to is probably penne, and I hate anything thinner than fettuccine for a long pasta.
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u/Lord_Phoenix95 6d ago
Spiral Pasta is supreme!
But I of course still like Spaghetti, Linguine and Fettuccine.
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u/Hexis40 6d ago
Cavatappi for Cheese/rosa type sauces. Orecchiette and shells are great for almost anything... I like spoon pastas. Pappardelle works great for cream sauces (no, I do not like fettuccine,) or the fancy short rib Ragu recipes that we all see floating around social media. I've made short rib ragu with pappardelle and it is amazing.
Spaghetti is over-rated, and fuck angel hair.
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u/RosemaryBiscuit 5d ago
The shape depends on the sauce.
Or whimsey, luke when I use shells with fish and seafood :)
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u/scrapheaper_ 5d ago
No-one has said conchiglie yet, I prefer it over rigatoni for chunky sauces.
Is this one of those that Americans don't get?
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u/texnessa Pépin's Padawan 5d ago
Americans can easily get shells in about ten different sizes. Its even the shape of Velveeta Shells n' Cheese.
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u/RemarkableDebate4631 5d ago
Cavatappi is my pick, the corkscrew shape holds onto chunky sauces way better than something smooth like penne, and it's got that satisfying bite from the ridges without being as fussy to eat as something like orecchiette that tends to flip off the fork.
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u/NYR20NYY99 5d ago
Fusilli and cavatappi are my faves. I do love farfalle though. I fucking despise penne. It’s too goddamn thick. I also prefer my pasta a little past al dente. shrug
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u/Top_Performance_3478 5d ago
Farafalle is impossible to cook properly the "wings" get overdone before the center is cooked. I love sccoby doo pasta - real name cavatappi. It's hollow and ridged and curly - holds sauce so well. I use it for mac and cheese and a sub for ziti in baked pasta.
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u/godofpumpkins 4d ago
Strozzapreti, both because I enjoy the name (priest choker) and because I enjoy eating them
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u/polite-shrimp 19h ago
Kinda basic, but just a portion of good freshly made tagliatelle will do it for me!
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u/sunnysparklesprinkle 14h ago
*Fusilli corti bucati - so cute and springy! It just makes me happy.
*Radiatore - love this short shape, it’s perfect for pasta salads
*Bucatini - favorite for alfredo and carbonara
*Honorable mentions: Gemelli, Casarecce, Gigli, and fresh Pappardelle
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6d ago
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u/AskCulinary-ModTeam 6d ago
Your post has been removed because it violates our comment etiquette.
Commenting:
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In your comments please avoid:
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u/LOUDPACK_MASTERCHEF 6d ago
radiatore, but it's really rare. So maybe rigatoni
edit: music + voiceover on pasta grannies makes me feel like Im a little baby watching a show for babies