Adapted from Culinare Magazine and Primo Family Favorites
In the past 5 years even gluten free pasta has improved, and when in Italy, the best GF pasta can be found in the stores and restaurants.
If you live in a larger city with Italian stores, you are in luck! For both GF and semolina pasta.
There are approximately 350 types of pasta in the world, that can be broken down into 5 categories. Each pasta having its own purpose.
Soup Pastas
“Pastina” – means little pasta and that’s what goes into the soup. (We cook on the side and add to individual bowls to count the carbs). Baby shells, stelline (Little stars), acini di pepe, orzo and alphabets are examples of great soup pastas.
Thick and Chunky Pasta Sauces
Short pastas are wonderful in baked pastas, thick and chunky sauces and pasta salads. The grooves and ridges capture and hold the chunky pieces. Examples are rotini, fusilli, penne, rigatoni, ziti, gnocchi, orecchiette, and cavatelli.
Creamy and Light Tomato Sauce Pasta Sauces
Long pastas can be round or flat, and vary from very thin (capellini, vermicelli, spaghetti) to thick (fettucine, linguine). They are perfect for creamy sauces, light tomato sauces and pesto. Fish and clam sauces marry well with long pasta. Farfalle (butterflies or bowties) and rotelle (wagon wheel shape) also work beautifully with lighter sauces.
Noodles
Broad and medium noodles are usually served with heavy meat sauces such as Bolognese and Beef Stroganoff (not Italian, I know)
Specialty Pastas
Lasagna, jumbo shells, cannelloni and manicotti are generally stuffed or layered and baked in any type of sauce.
