Italian pasta guide and the best places to eat it

Tuesday, 25 October 2011 5:20 PM

Today is world pasta day and since pasta has become one the best loved dishes throughout the world we thought we’d guide you through the classic types of Italian pasta, what you eat them with and where best to find them.

Farfalle means butterflies in Italian and are most commonly known to us as ‘bow tie’ pasta. These are suitable for most sauces but are best eaten with the lighter creamy sauces. Eat them in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna.

Fusilli are the spiral or twisty pasta shapes and come in many varieties they are best enjoyed with chunky vegetable sauces such as putanesca from southern Italy. They are also good in pasta bakes, soups and salads. This is one of the most common types of pasta and can be found all over Italy. Head to Naples for the special Fusilli Napoletani.

Conchiglie are the shell shaped pasta which can come in different sizes, and colours, infused with spinach, squid ink or tomato. They can be eaten with tomato or cheesy creamy sauces, however the larger shells are best stuffed with meat and cheese.

Penne is one of the most common types of Italian pasta and is shaped in short hollow tubes with diagonal ends. They get their name from the Italian word for quill. Penne is best served with marinara red sauce or chunky meat and vegetable sauces or arrabbiata, spicy chilli sauce. Find the best penne with spicy chilli sauce and sausages in southern Italy.

Fettuccine, Tagliatelle and Trenette are long flat pasta noodles of varying thicknesses. Fettuccine and Tagliatelle are commonly served alfredo with cream, cheese and butter. Get them in Emilia Romagna, known to be the masters of fresh pasta making. Trenette is best served with pesto, the famous sauce of Liguria. Get it in Genoa.

Tortellini and Ravioli are the stuffed pasta shapes, usually filled with different types of Italian cheeses, meats or vegetables with red sauces. Find the best tortellini in Bologna or Modena. Ravioli first came from Tuscany and Venice.

Spaghetti is one of the most famous types of Italian pasta, now served all over the world. In Italy it is served al dente with Carbonara or Bolognese sauce. Head to Rome for some classic spaghetti dishes with Carbonara, oil and herbs or Bologna for the classic Bolognese sauce.

Enjoy your pasta eating. Buon appetito!

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