- What is the best pasta shape?
- Pasta Shapes for Special Occasions
- What are the different shapes of pasta called?
- What is the weirdest Pasta Shape?
- What is the point of different pasta shapes?
What is the best pasta shape?
One of the best pasta shapes are the shapes that perfectly capture your sauce, and is easily coated evenly. One pasta that comes to mind is Ditalini Pasta or also known as Ditali Pasta. Ditalini Pasta is a small tube-shaped pasta. Some would describe it as a very short macaroni. What makes this pasta shape special is the shape and how the shape of this pasta is perfect for really any type of dish.
Ditalini Pasta is small enough to become al dente in soups, captures sauce and oil well which makes it great for pasta salads or classic pasta dishes like Macaroni and Cheese.
The inner tube of this type of pasta holds chunky meat sauce really well too.
The versatility of this pasta shape qualifies it for the “Best Pasta Shape” in our book!
One of our favorite recipes for Ditalini is this Creole Italian Crabmeat pasta with Broccolini recipe.
Not only is this recipe easy, it’s also relatively healthy! Fresh sweet crab combined with the delicate texture of broccoli rabe and hints of garlic and lemon zest pair perfectly with white wine which makes it our favorite go-to recipe for dinner.
Pasta Shapes for Special Occasions
Some of the best pasta shapes for special occasions are the shapes that are unique and unexpected. Another great option are shapes that are fun and convey a theme for your special occasions. This definitely includes the Dagostino Alligator, Crawfish and Fleur De Lis shaped pastas. These pastas are some of our best-sellers and it’s easy to see why. These shapes tell the story of Louisiana and how Dagostino originated in the Crescent City.
The Alligator shaped pasta is a fun addition to recipes that include Alligator meat.
Check out our Creole Double Gator Pasta and our Alligator Sauce Piquante recipes.
Our Fleur De Lis shaped pasta is perfect for tailgate season when you’re rooting for the New Orleans saints, but they can make any pasta dish “Naturally Nola”. Try our weeknight Chicken Pomodoro recipe to see exactly what we mean.
Lastly there’s the Crawfish shaped pasta. This is a really fun pasta to make especially when you’re using actual crawfish meat in your recipes, just like in this easy Cajun Crawfish pasta recipe!
What are the different shapes of pasta called?
There’s an endless amount of different pasta shapes and varieties, and some of the same pastas go by different names. For example “Bow Tie Pasta'' is technically Farfalle pasta. Similarly, Dagostino’s Mafaldine pasta is known lovingly as “Elena Piccola'' pasta. Mafaldine pasta is usually paired with creamy sauces or tomato sauce, which nicely compliments Mafaldine’s ruffled edges.
Another Pasta that has two names like Farfalle and Mafaldine is “Birdseye” pasta.
Dagostino’s Birdseye pasta is more commonly known as Pastina. This pasta is tiny, and bead-shaped. It’s traditionally served in soups like italian wedding soup. This is considered a soups pasta, because it’s so small it reaches al dente in the soup broth.
From short pasta to long pasta, there’s so many names that there’s too many to list!
You can find a complete list of Dagostino’s Italian pasta here.
What is the weirdest pasta shape?
One of the “weirdest” pasta shapes is Gemelli. Gemelli pasta is a very uniquely shaped pasta and isn't common like the shapes of Farfalle or even Mafaldine. Gemelli is often described as an S shaped pasta that has been twisted into a spiral. Gemelli is most used for dishes with thicker sauces or in baked casseroles that use meat, cheese, and vegetables.
Another odd pasta is Cavatelli. Cavatelli is similar to shell or conchiglie pasta. Cavatelli differs from Conchiglie in it’s thickness. Typical shell pasta is thin, whereas Cavatelli is a bit thicker and resembles a hotdog bun. This Pasta is traditionally served with garlic and broccoli rabe.
What is the point of different pasta shapes?
One of the “weirdest” pasta shapes is Gemelli. Gemelli pasta is a very uniquely shaped pasta and isn't common like the shapes of Farfalle or even Mafaldine. Gemelli is often described as an S shaped pasta that has been twisted into a spiral. Gemelli is most used for dishes with thicker sauces or in baked casseroles that use meat, cheese, and vegetables.
Another odd pasta is Cavatelli. Cavatelli is similar to shell or conchiglie pasta. Cavatelli differs from Conchiglie in it’s thickness. Typical shell pasta is thin, whereas Cavatelli is a bit thicker and resembles a hotdog bun. This Pasta is traditionally served with garlic and broccoli rabe.
