Food & Cuisine
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A smaller version of a rice-shaped soup pasta carries a diminutive form of that pasta's own name.
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A curled, ridged variant of a diagonally-cut tube pasta gets an Italian word for 'curly' added to its name: 'Penne _ _ _ _ _.'
This thick, spaghetti-like pasta from Lazio has a hollow center running through it, like a drinking straw.
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Shaped like a spinning children's toy, this pasta's Italian name means exactly that.
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Smaller and more rounded than a standard bow-tie shape, this soup pasta version has gentler curves.
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This ruffled, curved pasta is shaped to resemble a barnyard bird's comb: 'Creste di _ _ _ _ _.'
GALLONamed for an Italian princess, this ruffled-edge ribbon pasta comes from Naples.
MAFALDEThis hollow-cut pasta with cylindrical ridges takes its Italian name from the word for 'curls.'
RICCIOLIThis short, curved tube pasta's Italian name translates to 'half-size ones.'
MEZZANIThin and twisted, this Ligurian pasta is the traditional partner for a basil-based green sauce.
TROFIEThis coiled pasta shape takes its Italian name from the word for 'braid.'
TRECCIONIThis short, narrow tube pasta's Italian name oddly translates to 'large beans.'
FAGIOLONIThick, ring-shaped, and named for a small bird's eyes, this soup pasta reads: 'Occhi di _ _ _ _ _ _ _.'
PASSEROHailing from the Veneto region, this stuffed pasta comes with a variety of traditional fillings.
CASUNZIEIA smaller, ruffled-sided cousin of a wider ribbon pasta, its name simply means 'little' version of that ribbon.
MAFALDINESimple and round, this soup pasta's Italian name is just the word for 'grain.'
GRANOSquare or folded and stuffed, this pasta's Italian name literally means 'little pies.'
TORTELLIThis small ring-shaped pasta from Sicily takes its name from the Italian word for 'small rings.'
ANELLITwo strands twisted into a loose spiral give this pasta its name, which means 'twins' in Italian.
GEMELLIBread-crumb dumplings flavored with Parmesan and nutmeg, this dish's name traces back to a German word for dumpling.
CANEDERLIEven smaller than the last, this ring-shaped soup pasta is named for a different bird's eyes: 'Occhi di _ _ _ _ _ _ _.'
PERNICEThis egg pasta from Abruzzo is cut using a wooden frame strung like a musical instrument: 'Spaghetti alla _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.'
CHITARRAThis furrowed, curved macaroni takes its Italian name from the word for 'elbow.'
GOMITIFlat and stamped into a figure-eight or coin shape, this pasta from Liguria traces back to an old Genoese coin design.
CORZETTIThese semicircular or square stuffed pasta pockets originated in the Piedmont region.
AGNOLOTTIMade of minuscule dots, this Ligurian soup pasta's name references a North African grain dish it resembles.
CUSCUSSUThis narrow Ligurian ribbon pasta is a slightly slimmer cousin of a wider egg-based ribbon noodle.
BAVETTEThis corkscrew-shaped macaroni takes its Italian name directly from the word for 'corkscrews.'
CAVATAPPIVery small and irregularly shaped, this granular pasta is meant to thicken a simple broth.
GRATTINIThis thick, whole-wheat strand pasta from Italy's Veneto region was traditionally extruded by hand press.
BIGOLIShaped like a wagon wheel, this pasta's Italian name means 'little wheels.'
ROTELLEGrooved and gently curved, this pipe-shaped pasta is named simply for its resemblance to plumbing: 'Pipe _ _ _ _ _ _.'
RIGATEThis very thin strand pasta hails from Naples, Genoa, and Liguria, and cooks in just a minute or two.
FEDELINIDistinct from the potato dumpling of the same name, this dry pasta shape forms small lobed shells.
GNOCCHIThis bow-tie or butterfly-shaped pasta, popular across northern Italy, gets its name from the Italian word for butterflies.
FARFALLEThese small stuffed pasta 'bundles' are often filled with a sweet-and-savory mix of ricotta and pear.
FAGOTTINITiny and rounded, this soup pasta is named after the Italian word for 'little mushrooms.'
FUNGHINIThese semicircular stuffed pasta pockets take their Italian name from the phrase 'half-moons.'
MEZZELUNEThis wide rectangular sheet pasta is layered with sauce and cheese and baked in the oven.
LASAGNEThese small, ridged tube pastas used in soup take their Italian name from a word meaning 'corals.'
CORALLIA triangular, three-sided take on a diagonally-cut tube pasta shares most of that pasta's name.
TRENNEThis small stuffed egg pasta from Mantua takes its name from the Italian word for a tiny angel.
AGNOLINIThis extremely thin strand pasta from Liguria is often coiled into little nests before cooking.
CAPELLINIToasted into small pellets, this pasta from Israel is also widely known as Israeli couscous.
PTITIMShaped like the leaf of a tree prized for its oil, this southern Italian pasta's name spells it out: 'Foglie d'_ _ _ _ _.'
ULIVOThis thick, irregular, hand-rolled strand pasta hails from Tuscany and is often compared to a fat earthworm.
PICIThis spiral tube pasta's Italian name is simply the word for 'spirals.'
SPIRALIThis short, solid, shell-like pasta from southern Italy is often hand-formed by dragging dough with a finger.
CAVATELLIShaped like a large spiral shell, this pasta traps chunky sauce inside its curved shell, taking its name from a garden mollusk.
LUMACHEShaped like a tiny bell, this soup pasta's Italian name literally means 'surprise.'
SORPRESEEven smaller than a coral-shaped soup pasta, this diminutive version shares nearly the same name.
CORALLINIThis flattened strand pasta's name literally means 'little tongues.'
LINGUINETinier than most bead-shaped soup pastas, this pasta's name is also used as a catch-all term for the whole soup-pasta family.
PASTINAThis short, curled soup pasta from Sicily and Emilia-Romagna is oddly named after the Italian word for 'weed.'
GRAMIGNASlightly larger than macaroni and gently bent, this pasta's Italian name oddly means 'celery.'
SEDANIA smaller version of a thin egg noodle, measuring just 12 to 15 millimeters long, carries a diminutive of that noodle's name.
FILINIThis simple flower-shaped pasta takes its name straight from the Italian word for 'flowers.'
FIORIThis medium-to-large tube pasta has square-cut ends and ridges running along its sides.
RIGATONICut on the diagonal into short tubes, this pasta's name means 'pens' or 'feathers' in Italian.
PENNEA smaller cousin of classic elbow macaroni, this pasta's Italian name means 'little crooked ones.'
STORTINIShaped like tiny squiggles, this soup pasta's Italian name refers to a kind of musical concord.
ARMONIEAbout half the length of a larger ridged tube pasta, this shape's name literally means 'half-sleeves': 'Mezze _ _ _ _ _ _ _.'
MANICHECut into rhombus shapes, these flat pasta ribbons take their name from the geometric term itself.
ROMBILarge, ribbed, and hollow for stuffing, this pasta's name references a wild animal's eyes: 'Occhi di _ _ _ _.'
LUPOCreated sometime between the World Wars, this pasta is shaped like a household heating appliance.
RADIATORIThis bead-like, toasted soup pasta hails from Sardinia and is often used in fish broths.
FREGULAShaped like grains of rice, this versatile soup pasta's Italian name actually means 'barley.'
ORZOShaped like tiny stars, this soup pasta is a favorite in children's minestrone.
STELLEThis short, thick, twisted pasta from Sardinia gets its name from the Italian word for 'ringlets.'
BOCCOLIThis short, S-shaped, extruded pasta comes from Sicily and Campania.
CASARECCERoughly as long as it is wide, this short tube pasta's Italian name means 'thimbles.'
DITALIThis long, thick, corkscrew-shaped pasta is named after the Italian word for a spindle.
FUSILLIThis short, wide, curved macaroni is named after an Austrian crescent-shaped cookie.
CHIFFERIAn ancient flat pasta sheet considered a forerunner of a more famous layered baked dish shares this name.
LAGANEThis long Sicilian pasta is traditionally wound around a thin rod as it's shaped.
BUSIATEMade with eggs, flour, and water, this thin noodle pasta shares its name across several Spanish-speaking cuisines too.
FIDEOSA shorter version of a long corkscrew-shaped spiral pasta shares nearly the same root name.
ROTINITriangular with a bulging, stuffed center, this Ligurian pasta is traditionally filled with wild greens and herbs.
PANSOTTILong, narrow, hose-like tubes of this pasta are traditionally snapped by hand before cooking, hinting at festive occasions.
ZITIThis short, thick ribbon pasta comes from the Abruzzo and Molise regions of Italy.
SAGNETTEThis thin, ridged-on-one-side ribbon pasta is a classic partner for Ligurian pesto sauce.
TRENETTEThis short, coiled pasta shape is named after the Italian word for 'clouds.'
NUVOLETwisted at both ends like a wrapped sweet, this stuffed pasta's Italian name means exactly that treat.
CARAMELLEShaped like tiny pieces of lace, this delicate soup pasta takes its name from that craft.
MERLETTISlightly larger than a pepper-grain-shaped soup pasta, these tiny spheres are named after the Italian word for 'lead shot.'
PIOMBIA miniature version of a small ring-shaped pasta, this soup pasta shares that name with a diminutive ending.
ANELLINIA large, ridged tube pasta big enough for stuffing, this Campanian shape is named after a volcano near Naples.
VESUVIOA hollow version of a popular corkscrew pasta, this Sicilian variant is named by adding a word for 'holed': 'Fusilli _ _ _ _ _ _.'
BUCATITiny and bead-like, this soup pasta's name translates to 'grains of pepper': 'Acini di _ _ _ _.'
PEPEFrench industrial designer Philippe Starck created this pasta shape for an Italian pasta maker in 1987.
MANDALAMade from two sheets of dough pressed together around a filling, this is one of the most familiar stuffed pasta shapes worldwide.
RAVIOLIA tightly coiled, smaller version of a spiral-shaped pasta carries a diminutive form of that same name.
SPIRALINIThis long, thin cylindrical pasta gets its name from the Italian word for 'little strings.'
SPAGHETTIHand-torn in strips from a sheet of dough, this Tuscan pasta's name reflects how it's ripped, not cut.
STRAPPONIThis flat Ligurian ribbon pasta, about 1.5 centimeters wide, is a regional cousin of tagliatelle.
PICAGGEDesigned in 1983 to resemble a rolling ocean wave in cross-section, this pasta shape was created by a car designer.
MARILLEBent or straight, this classic tube pasta's name traces back to a Greek word.
MACARONILegend says this Tuscan pasta's name joins the word for 'choke' with the word for these clergymen: '_ _ _ _ _.'
PRETIThis very large tube pasta from Naples is often served simply, topped generously with sauce.
PACCHERICooked on a hot skillet rather than boiled, this ancient Tuscan pasta predates most other pasta shapes.
TESTAROLI